Every once in awhile in life, an opportunity to do something to better the world presents itself to you. With that, you have a decision to make - to take action or to turn away and do nothing. It's truely a choice.
On Sunday, early evening, I was trying to finish up some outdoor chores. While walking towards my mini barn to get my lopers, something came crashing out of a maple tree about five feet from me. I saw the flash of black out of the corner of my eye.
Being a curious person, I had to see what it was. To my surprise, a critter started moving away from me, fast, across the ground. It was some kind of baby woodpecker. It couldn't take flight, which means it was vulnerable to predators.
With gloves already on, I slowly started trying to get close to this baby. Despite its small size, it was quick. Each time I got close, it moved further ahead, and then it dodged left towards the weedy ravine. I had to move fast if I was going to help this baby. Instead of taking the same path towards the ravine, I kept moving straight to get past where the baby had stopped. Then, I climbed through the fence, and dropped down below the level of the bird. I was able to walk straight and then up to capture the baby.
The baby woodpecker was a fisty little thing. If it had had teeth, it would have nailed me. Instead it hit my gloved hands with its long beak. I shushed, trying to calm it. I knew what it was thinking, not literally, but it thought a huge monster had it. Its little life probably flashed before its eyes, thinking it was going to be eaten, but not today, not by this human. I was going to take this opportunity to help it, and by doing so the world would be that much better, that much more positive, in these "world on fire" times.
Important info: Myth - "you should never put a baby bird back into a nest, because the momma will smell your human scent and reject caring for the baby." Having been a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who took many classes dealing with the care of various animals and birds, I knew this myth. I also knew that the best place for that baby was back in its nest. Unfortunately, the maple tree it came crashing out of is super tall. It has more height than width, because it is in a heavily wooded area - trees close together get more height than a tree in an open yard, which spreads out in width. I couldn't even see a nest. Nor would it even be safe to try to climb this tree - the closes branch to the ground was an extension ladder's height away. Not a safe option for this human.
I contacted a licensed wildlife rehabber I knew. No answer. Left a message. I called a friend, whose husband is a DNR officer to find another contact. Two more wildlife rehabilitators were contacted. That was three in all, with the third telling me to keep it in a box inside over night and turn it loose in the morning - "The mom and dad should come feed it while it's on the ground. They stay on the ground for a couple of days before they are able to fly." and "It might be a downy woodpecker."
Humm. My previous wildlife rehab training states that - no private person should be in possession of wildlife and that it is a crime. Basically, if you are not a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or a DNR officer, you shouldn't have a wild creature in your possession. I let me friend, whose hubby is a DNR office, know what I'd been told - to be safe on this issue. Thank you J.B.
Despite a day that was predicted to be full of rain throughout, we lucked out. Early Monday morning, I put the box with the little woodpecker on the ground beside the maple tree it crashed out of. The baby came out, scooted to my woodpile, and hopped up towards the top of the pile, then sat. I took one last look, said a prayer that its parents would come take care of it and that it would live to have its own little family, and then walked away.
God knows its fate, but I did my part to help. Did I do something huge to make the world a better place? No, but to that baby woodpecker I did something huge, because I chose to take action, to step in, and by doing so, helped save its life. (I did check throughout the day, but never saw it or heard it moving around.)
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