Thursday, February 17, 2011

The case of the Stuck Starling...

Scratch.  Scritch.  Scrape,skskskskskskkkk. Pt-t-t. Click. 

I dial the phone, because Husband has left.

"Hon,  no hurry, but we have a bird in the chimney again."

He comes home, and listens.  Of course, there is no noise.  He gives me the "humor the crazy woman" look, and goes outside. 

Scritch.  Scritccrriitch. Scritch. 

Some small bits fall from the pipe into the box.  I figure, well, I know it's there.  It will work its way up, or down.  Either way, I will just not worry about it. 

Husband says he can't hear it.  He takes a catnap in the living room.  I hear it just fine.  He doesn't.  BUT, asks I, who wears hearing aid in this house? 

Not I, said the little blogging Cat...

So, I just go into the back room, do some minor stuff of no consequence, then hear Husband has awoken and gone outside.  Great! In time for Dr. Oz.  I sit down. 

Scritch. SCRATCH! SSSSCCCRRRRUUU- POOOF!!!  Suddenly, there is little nuclear cloud of ash in the firebox, a disgruntled squawk, and this...


I told Husband, yep, there's a bird.  I get to take a picture before we let it out! 

Husband closed all the blinds and doors in the house, and turned off the T.V. I opened the door to the outside, and we opened the little firebox door.

ZOOOOM!  Gone!  I really couldn't blame him.  I probably wouldn't have liked to be stuck in a box with bright lights flashing at me, either.  (Guess he knows what the guys at the county jail feel like...)  I dug out the handy-dandy bird identifier, and it is a European Starling.  This isn't one of the areas more popular birds, but I figure, it eats bugs.  If it eats bugs, I am happy. 

I had one sort of bittersweet thought.  My Grandma would have freaked out seriously at this.  Being superstitious to the utmost, she would have had a real problem with a bird in the house.  I would loved for her to be there, just so I could see her have said panic.  Maybe she's sitting on a cloud somewhere, giving the starling what for, for going into our house.  That wouldn't surprise me, at any rate.

This isn't the first bird we had in the chimney, but I am sort of surprised, we have a chimney cover, metal netting that was supposed to stop birds.  It has, until now.  Guess we had a skinny, smart, or just unlucky bird.  Or all three.

Oh, and Husband said this should be the case of the Stuck UP Starling, 'cuz he was Stuck UP the chimney. 

Kibitzer.  :)

10 comments:

Sharon said...

Now, that IS a hoot! I just love it when he can't hear something and I can prove him wrong! Hahahaha!

How often can a person get a shot of a bird like that? Fast thinking there, Girl! Love it!

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

very typical, the man can't hear nor smell half of what a woman can. so glad the starling finally showed itself and safely returned to the great outdoors! too funny!

messymimi said...

Of course you could hear him. Cats have excellent hearing.

Starlings, crows, ravens, and blackbirds are all very, very smart. That one outsmarted himself and got stuck!

Judith said...

I have metal netting (like a sort of metal netting shower cap!) on my chimney too. I used to really hate it when a bird got stuck in the chimney, so I asked the chimney sweep to make it for me the last time I had it swept. Seems to be working so far!

Louise said...

So, there!

Rae said...

Lol. Great post. Birds used to get into the chimney at my grandma's when I was a kid. They were always starlings. No sparrows, jays, or blackbirds. Always starlings. :)

Jess said...

Oh dear. I love how you're so relaxed about the whole thing, and you certainly have a way of telling a story!

V.L. Locey said...

Typical male hearing. Birds used to get into my mothers chimney all the time!

Dreaming said...

Why is that hubbies can't hear stuff like that?! Mine is the same way! I guess it is selective deafness!

Claire MW said...

I'm glad yours got out! I lit a fire in the woodstove a few days ago for the first time this year. Much to my surprise, there were 4 deceased European House Sparrows in the woodstove. Oh dear. I don't use the basement room very much so I never really had a chance to hear them. :(