little birdie...

Last night

returning from town

a flurry of feathers on my right.. then a sickening
THUNK!

(oh no - I've hit a bird!)

U-turn.... I seek out the spot ....
I see a bundle of unpromising feathers and my heart sinks

I wait for one car, then another to pass
(please don't hit the bird, please don't hit the bird, please don't hit the bird...)

then two more cars from the other direction

(please don't hit the bird, please don't hit the bird, please don't hit the bird...)

I rush to the centre of the highway to gently scoop up the disheveled lump.
Its head lolls sideways, its eyes are closed, 
and my heart sinks further

but my hands feel a movement, a flutter of trying wings,
and through my fingers I feel a heartbeat

YOU LIVE!

quickly, I open the car back, with one hand unload a cardboard book box

and lay the little creature inside

Up the hill we go - home

In the dim shed light I peek into the box

and one eye peeks back at me

we had a moment that bird and I...

(inside the house to a dark calm room, a towel in the box, a towel under the box,
a call to WIRES, a nervous night waiting and hoping...)

This morning we rose and so did the bird.

I think it is a Southern Boobook (a small native owlet)

I have taken it to the vet, and arranged for WIRES to collect and care for the dear one. I hope that it hasn't sustained anything too serious (its eye is the only injury I could detect - but I didn't want to manhandle the bird, and risk it developing shock... )

I hope I get to see it fly overhead at our place again one day very soon

(fingers crossed for you little bird)

update
  
unfortunately this story doesn't have a magical happy ending...
after vet inspection the little boobook's injuries
were found to be more extensive than initially hoped
so it was humanely euthanised by the vet


goodbye little birdie

I'm sorry

...