A Bird in The Hand.....

As we were about to head to the shops in Campbeltown this morning I saw a little Coal Tit lying apparently dead on the path in front of our kitchen window. When I went outside I could see it was on its back with feet in the air and wet. Nothing for it I thought but to pick it up by it legs and dispose of it. However, as I did so I could feel its little body flinch and thought the poor thing must be in its death throes. Then I could feel it move again and saw its eyes were open, it was actually still alive!

I gave it to Mrs B and she cupped it in her hands to keep it warm. It was clearly concussed and slowly started to come to. As it did so Mrs B gently stroked its back and it started to move its head. The warmth of Mrs B's hands seemed to help it recover and when she held her hands open it extended a wing and started to wriggle about. For the next few minutes it was quite happy to sit on the warm open hands no doubt coming to and getting its eyes focussed.

Then, after it had stretched the other wing, it was up and flew off out of sight. We were both delighted that it had been saved. The problem is the glass balustrading we have round the stairs to our basement. Birds have flown into it in the past and we have resorted to placing large crosses of tape on each panel to make it visible to birds. Unfortunately, some birds like this one try and fly round the crosses and into the glass. Not sure what the answer is, but if anyone out there in blip world has a suggestion, please let me know.

The choice of title for today's blip was easy, but what does it mean? Apparently, it goes back to medieval times when a hunting Falcon on the hand was considered to be worth more than 2 birds (its prey) in the bush. Well having the little Coal Tit in our hands today and seeing it fly off was simply priceless!