'Someone must help this bird!'

[elleng]

Sticky Situation
Dear Diary:

As I sat finishing a burger on the Dumbo pier while waiting for the ferry to come in, I watched tourists taking selfies and enjoying burgers of their own. We all were feeling happy and free.

I watched a sparrow hop toward a translucent, melted, gummy-candy blob that was stuck to the pier and peck its tiny beak into it.

To my surprise, it stayed there. No matter how much the bird flapped its wings, it was stuck. It tried to use its feet to leverage itself free, but only wound up getting its feet stuck too.

Someone must help this bird, I thought.

I stood up to look for someone who might come to the rescue, but no one else seemed to notice what was happening. My heart started pounding when I realized I was that someone.

I went over and spilled some seltzer on the bird’s beak, which allowed it to raise its head. I tried pouring a little on its feet, but they were too stuck for it to make a difference.

Thinking of all the reasons one might not touch a bird, I got out my handkerchief anyway and scooted the sparrow gently from behind. The bird popped off the blob and flew away.

My boat pulled in and I got on, just like everyone else, except that I felt like a hero.

— Michele Mirisola

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/19/nyregion/metropolitan-diary.html

((from NYTimes, Metropolitan Diary))

[Harker]

1. Yay for brave humans! n/t

[pwb]

2. I had a little red sparrow in the house today.

Put the dog in the bedroom and tried to calm it down. Opened all the doors and windows and we chased each other around for ten minutes. Then a nice smooth flight out the widow and on to the back porch. I had to guide him out of there too but out it went. It was like it liked visiting. Ah Life and what the Universe brings us.