Stupid Circle of Life

Thursday, April 21, 2011
We have a large Maple tree in our back yard. We think it was planted when the house was new, and as a result it's quite tall now.

So last night we were eating dinner, and I kept seeing something black blowing in the wind on the top of our tree. At first I thought it was a trash bag, as that happens fairly often, but no - it was a bird. A bird that had a piece of string or something wrapped around its leg which had subsequently gotten caught on a branch. The poor thing was hanging there, and would occasionally flap furiously in an effort to get free. Its mate was perched on another branch, calling to it continuously as it struggled.

We tried to think of a way to release the bird, or alternatively, to put it out of it's misery safely so it wouldn't have to die of thirst. But the top of that tree is three stories up - a cherry picker would be required to reach it. Additionally, our house is in the middle of the block, and I would be very hesitant to shoot even a pellet gun in our development because there are so many kids and pets running around. So we did nothing.

This morning the bird was dead. But its mate is still perched in our tree, calling. And it's breaking my heart.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

That's so sad. :(

I have a lot of respect for wildlife photographers... I wouldn't be able to handle watching so many animals die or be in pain. ;_;

Anne C. said...

Ditto what Rachael said. It's one of the reasons I'm very careful about picking up trash whenever I can.

:(

DesiGujju said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Janiece said...

*TONG*

John the Scientist said...

We had a dove get picked off by a hawk right in front of our window, and it's mate hung around for a week calling for it. That kind of thing is always sad.

Anne C. said...

Heh. Reminds me of a thought I had when driving to my sister's house. There's a hawk that hangs out on a light post on my way there. I had just taken up feeding the winter birds in my backyard and I thought, "I wish I could help feed the hawks and falcons too..." [pause] "I guess I am, actually."
I try and console myself with the thought of the other forms of life that benefit from an animal's death. It's the wasted ones that get to me.