Scared me to near death. I climbed a fence.
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:47 pm
I was cleaning up the kitchen this weekend and had to take some vegetable matter out to the compost heap. I had Fats on my shoulder and I didn't really want to have to go put him away and then go back and get him.... and his wings are clipped anyway...
He came outside with me and the first thing he did was flutter off my shoulder. It was ok, he just fell gracefully into a low shrub, and looked up at me seemingly to say "I am down here and I can't standup or fold my wings cause I'm stuck in this shrub, so you should come get me now." He seemed to cling to me pretty hard after I picked him up. We went to the compost pile I dumped the stuff (one handed because Fats would not let my other hand go).
We walked back to the house, but once I was back up the three stairs on the landing, Fats started flapping and I guess there was a breeze... He flew from the landing, over the four car wide driveway and over the neighbors' four foot high fence and landed in the neighbors yard.
I was aghast! Their yard is fenced in because they have 5 large dogs. I RAN. I climbed the fence. It took me two tries. All I could think about was whether those dogs were going to be let out at just that moment. They'd shred the bird. They'd shred me. I broke the fence a little as I climbed over (it was a little rotted). Fats was there, looking up at me with that same, "I am stuck because I landed in some weeds and you should come and pick me up now--hey why are you so frantic and worried?" look. I picked up Fats put him on the fence post facing our yard and went a little ways down to climb the fence since that side was lined with wire mesh and I had no where to put my feet to climb. In the meantime, he decided to jump off the fence post (luckily into our yard) and start walking around the driveway.
I picked him up, held him close to my chest, hand cupped over so he couldn't flutter and went into the house. We both seemed pretty tired after that.
Clipped wings or not, Fats is not going outside again. Not unless he's in a very well closed cage. Who'd have thought he could make it 50 feet with clipped wings!!
PS. Worst part: It kind of made me feel like he wanted to run away. Like he didn't want to be with me. Like if he had his choice, he'd be flyin all around and never see me again. Birds are wild things and I feel like I'm forcing him to be with me for my own amusement. ugh. taking him outside was a BAD IDEA!!!!!!
He came outside with me and the first thing he did was flutter off my shoulder. It was ok, he just fell gracefully into a low shrub, and looked up at me seemingly to say "I am down here and I can't standup or fold my wings cause I'm stuck in this shrub, so you should come get me now." He seemed to cling to me pretty hard after I picked him up. We went to the compost pile I dumped the stuff (one handed because Fats would not let my other hand go).
We walked back to the house, but once I was back up the three stairs on the landing, Fats started flapping and I guess there was a breeze... He flew from the landing, over the four car wide driveway and over the neighbors' four foot high fence and landed in the neighbors yard.
I was aghast! Their yard is fenced in because they have 5 large dogs. I RAN. I climbed the fence. It took me two tries. All I could think about was whether those dogs were going to be let out at just that moment. They'd shred the bird. They'd shred me. I broke the fence a little as I climbed over (it was a little rotted). Fats was there, looking up at me with that same, "I am stuck because I landed in some weeds and you should come and pick me up now--hey why are you so frantic and worried?" look. I picked up Fats put him on the fence post facing our yard and went a little ways down to climb the fence since that side was lined with wire mesh and I had no where to put my feet to climb. In the meantime, he decided to jump off the fence post (luckily into our yard) and start walking around the driveway.
I picked him up, held him close to my chest, hand cupped over so he couldn't flutter and went into the house. We both seemed pretty tired after that.
Clipped wings or not, Fats is not going outside again. Not unless he's in a very well closed cage. Who'd have thought he could make it 50 feet with clipped wings!!
PS. Worst part: It kind of made me feel like he wanted to run away. Like he didn't want to be with me. Like if he had his choice, he'd be flyin all around and never see me again. Birds are wild things and I feel like I'm forcing him to be with me for my own amusement. ugh. taking him outside was a BAD IDEA!!!!!!