Lost baby

[maewyn_2]

Late this afternoon we found a tiny baby bird on the ground. It was flapping around blindly. There was no sign of it's parents anywhere. We didn't want to leave it on the ground for a hawk or a cat to attack, so I brought it inside. I checked some websites to see if there was anything we could to for it. I found a picture of the exact same bird -

Comments

[mechtild]

Goodness, I see that my comment didn't take. Maewyn, I meant to say you have a big heart, and I hope it benefits your tiny patient. Best of luck in your nursing. :)

[maewyn_2]

Thank you. I was relieved to find it was still alive this morning. However, it seemed to be weaker.

I fed it some more honey-water and it became more lively. I just gave it a bit of crushed strawberry, washed down with more of the mixture. I'm very relieved!

It's also excreting, so I'd assume that's a healthy sign too!

It's still another 30 minutes before I can ring the wildlife place. Hopefully it'll go where somebody can look after it full time.

[mechtild]

I hope the wildlife center can take it; they are surely more experienced at doing this sort of care. I think you showed me a photo of an adult New Holland honeyeater before - extremely cute, with yellow trim on the wings.

[maewyn_2]

Yay! The baby has a new home! The wildlife volunteer that I rang only lives about 5 minutes away from here. I took it over to her house, where it'll be reared among other orphaned birds. Apparently, like new human babies, they need feeding every two hours. I fed it around 11.00 last night, and at 6.30 am today. No wonder it was weak.

I'll contact the volunteer in a week or so to find out how it's going. I got quite attached to the little thing!

By the way, do you have your kittens yet?

[mechtild]

That's super, Maewyn! I'll bet you're happy, and relieved.

Yes, we got the kittens Dec. 25th. I'll do a post about it, maybe this weekend. They've been keeping me ultra busy, that and the holidays when they first were here.

[maewyn_2]

Excellent! I'm sure they're a handful! How did Angelo react to the newcomers? :)

[mechtild]

He thought them a nuisance and an intrusion, but fascinating. Then he got to like them better, but a few days ago he began to seem ill. I almost took him to the vet's today then cancelled, thinking he seemed a bit better, but now I wish I'd brought him. We've had such bad luck with our pets, we are paranoid, thinking our cats have something fatal any time they become ill. Ah, well.

[maewyn_2]

Oh, I hope everything will be OK. You haven't had a very good run with your beloved cats, have you? Can you take him to the vet today (Saturday)? Perhaps it would be best so that you can set your mind at rest.

[whiteling]

Oh, I'm happy to learn that you finally have your kittens with you at home, Mechtild!! Yay! Looking forward to your post. :-)
But oh no, poor Angelo, being sick again. I hope he is getting better soon!

[mechtild]

I'll answer both you and Maewyn, Whiteling, since Maewyn will get the reply for this. Yes, the vet is open on Sat. but just for routine well care for folks who can't make the open hours during the work week. There's the emergency clinic, which is terribly expensive, but he's not sick enough (yet) to constitute an emergency. He's still walking around, still has clear eyes and nasal passages, still drinking and eating (a little), pooping. But he is still down, and still croaking a few croaky meows when he meows at all: this from a cat with a range like Pavarotti, who never shuts up.

But I can make him an appointment for Monday when the office opens today for its half day of well care visits.

[maewyn_2]

Oh, I forgot to say that it is the same species that you saw before. Perhaps one of those birds was its parent. They'll probably mate again and have another youngster in a few weeks.

I still wonder why they didn't come back to it. It's not like the baby was weak or sick. I know I'll never find out.

[mechtild]

So: the same bird. So pretty!