OTL to the rescue and 'That Plant' is identified!

Hello Woofers!

Daisy, Holly & Snowflake back again.

We have had a bit of excitement this morning. You remember we have a camera in a nest box and two sparrows hatched from a total of five eggs that were laid?

Well, three days ago one of the baby sparrows left the nest and 'Fledged' the other one stayed behind. Old Two Legs said that it was just being a bit slow and preferred to have it's meals served instead of hunting for it!

This morning we noticed that the baby was trying to get up to the hole and leave but it seemed to have caught it's leg in the nest material. On strict instructions from The Missus, our walk was put on hold and OTL dispatched to the garage to get a ladder.

Putting on rubber gloves, so he doesn't get bitten by any bugs the nest may hold, OTL retrieved the baby sparrow and a big handful of nest material, plus a couple of old eggs.

Up, Up, Up We Go!

 Very carefully we bring down the bird and the nest material.

Down comes Baby Cradle and All!

 Very gently, OTL starts to remove the material that is wrapped around the leg.

Gently Does It!

Finally we get to the point where we can see what's wrong. Some of the nest material, looking very much like hair, was wrapped around the leg at the knee joint and was cutting into the leg. Because the leg was cut, the hair was captured in caked blood from the bird. There was no option but to operate on the leg!

Looks a bit 'Hairy' nurse, Bring My Tools!

Very carefully, OTL unwrapped as much hair as he could, the very gently cut a lump around the back of the leg that was all hair and dried matter. The hair came away and OTL 'unwound' it from the wound on the leg. 

Be Brave Little One!

After that, there was nothing else OTL could do but to open his hand and let the bird fly off, which it did and landed in the tree in the garden. After that we lost sight if it but we hope that mum and dad will find and feed the little one.

Now I know that really we should have let 'Nature take it's course' but this way, the bird has a chance of survival and OTL says he has seen a number of birds with only one leg that were doing OK. 

So, best of luck to Gob, we were sure that was him and if you see a sparrow with a limp, it may just be him!

Say 'Hello' for us!

After all that excitement we got our walk and then settled down for a snooze after a breakfast of chicken and biscuits!

OTL had a reply from the botanist, it seems that the flower is called Tragopogon porrifolius or the common name 'Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon' 'cos it shuts it's flower up at midday!

Another name is Goat's Beard, maybe 'cos the flower when it is closed, looks like a Goat's Beard!

Well, that's another flower we know the name of!

This afternoon we went out with OTL to deliver some stuff and we ended up in the Riverside Park. We didn't go down to the river where we normally go but this time we ended up in the field where doggies get to be let off the lead for a run around.

There were woofers all over the place, making a noise and chasing balls. We just sniffed and chased a ball!

We met up with a couple of Spotty Dalmatian dogs who said hello to OTL and one even wanted to play but they were just a bit too big and cool looking for us!

Do I Look Cool or Wot?

We were joined by a very nervous Poodle who took exception to OTL taking her picture and started to woof at him.

No Camera's, I'm not ready!

We weren't having any of that, so I jumped up on OTL's lap and woofed back!

That got her into trouble and she was put on a lead!

Back home, Snowflake was still asleep, she had gathered up all her squeaky balls and was sleeping on top of them, just to make sure OTL doesn't pinch them!

****LATE BREAKING NEWS*****

Just to let you know, late this afternoon, we have spotted Gob down the end of the garden, making a cods of walking on rocks but being fed by both mum and dad. You would have thought that he had got onto the paving slabs, at least it may have been easier to hop about!

Trouble is, you just can't tell the kids nowadays, as OTL says!

See you tomorrow!

Luv,

Daisy, Holly & Snowflake