Wednesday, November 2, 2011

black-throated gray warbler ~ 11/02/11 ~ at home

Dendroica nigrescens

As I was getting ready to prepare dinner this evening, I heard a dull "thwack!" I ran into the living room and noticed a puff of feathers on one of the windows. This is the third time it's happened in as many years we've had our new double-paned, coated windows. The first two times the birds have flown away almost immediately. I ran outside to find this fellow on our balcony. I panicked, picked him up, and tucked him into my shirt like a basket to keep him warm. He was surprisingly soft, warm, and so tiny. I remembered several bloggers mentioning birds flying headlong into their windows, so I jumped online to see what, if anything, needed to be done. The only one I could remember was Wanderin' Weeta's recent hermit thrush encounter. I waited like she did. He quickly became cold and stiff. This poor fellow did not survive. And, like Susannah, I'd rather have birds in the bush than one in the hand. I'm sad about this.

ps 11/07/11 - I placed this bird's body behind a rock in the park below us. I checked the site today. Something came along and took it. Only a few wing feathers remained behind. Nature's recycling?

pss 12/26/11 - For an "official" blog posting on how to prevent collisions like this one, see Audublog.