Saturday, October 30, 2010

Ash and Ang

I'm officially a Bird Mama! I recently put my name down to foster baby birds in need of a little TLC until they are released back into the wild again. We finally picked up our first pair of birds yesterday, some thrush fledglings we named Ash and Ang.


Ash (on the left) and Ang (as in the Avatar!)

Unfortunately Ash passed on today after only 24hours with us. I'm not sure why, I guess that is just the way of nature. He had been attacked by a cat before coming to us and had bruising so maybe that was just too much for the little bird. Ang seems strong and eagerly eats the cat food I give him. I say "him" but I'm not sure if Ash and Ang are he's or she's! I hope to have Ang here for another 3 or 4 weeks until he's grown tail feathers and can find his own food. Right now he's being hand fed every 2-2.5 hours and requires a bedding change at each feed. I never knew they pooped so much! lol.



This beautiful red wire was rescued from a 1970's vacuum cleaner by my son. As he likes pulling electrical things apart we asked the second-hand shop if we could have any old electric things that they received that didn't work. They are more than happy to get rid of their 'junk' and my son's happy to salvage what he can! I am of course, very happy to receive gifts such as this! I am not sure if it is technically copper wire, unless there is such thing as red-copper wire but it's beautiful stuff. Very easy to use (watch this space!) and it just winds off the metal like wool. No muscle required!



At the start of the year I set myself an art goal to make plaster of paris bird eggs...and here they are! They are still in the raw stage here, I need to sand the eggs and then decide if I will make whole eggs or half eggs with a flat side for gluing. I'm thinking of collaging them with tissue paper or sewing pattern paper, this is still very much a work in progress!

Last but not least...I received word that Kim's book has reached Debrina's safe and sound! YAY!. It's always a worry when we set such precious things loose in the postal system and I think we all breathe a collective sigh of relief when another book makes it safely to it's destination!

16 comments:

Mick said...

I'm sure it was the shock, perhaps also injury, that took poor little Ash. I once found a week-old kitten who had been attacked by a bird - probably a hawk ... poor thing didn't last more than a few days either. As you say, nature's way can be difficult.

sharon said...

What a doll you are to foster birds. You are truly a special person indeed!
I know you will do something wonderful with that wire and those eggs!

artymess said...

Good luck Ang I have looked after fledglings before and sometimes with the best will in the world nature takes its course ...I will keep my fingers crossed for Ang...

Caterina Giglio said...

wow, such a dicey thing to deal with rescued birds, sending the best of luck to you and your eggs look great, glad Kim's book made it safely!

Irene said...

It's such a sad thing when one of nature's little creatures dies, but you can't do much about it. You can only give it your best. At least there's still Ang to take care off and wish the best for.

Your son is a great help to you, finding you all those neat components. He's an artist himself, isn't he? I bet he takes after you.

Kim Palmer said...

Oh aren't they such dear little things.I'm sorry you lost one but at least the other is alive and has a very healthy appetite form the sounds. Trust you to be a feathered mummy, LOL! That wire looks divine, very Kim. Sounds lIke your boy loves pulling everything apart. Just as well you love to put it all back together again , haha!

ArtPropelled said...

Indeed, fledglings are a lot of work .... and poop .... but also very rewarding. Ang seems to be full of the joys of Spring and off to a good start.
Love the egg idea!

Debrina said...

Baby birds and eggs, wire and junk. Yep, I know I'm at Lisa's! Lol!
Lovely to see you adopting the wee birds; shame about Ash, but as you say, Nature has her way in the end.

The plaster eggs on the other hand look fantastic! I'm just learning about slip casting and stig mould - both requiring PoP for the original moulding.

Debrina said...

Did I write stig mould? I meant sprig moulds! Ha ha. I wonder what the stig what have to say about that?

Shane Pollard said...

Aw - this photo is sooo gorgeous of the two little birdies!
I'm so sorry that Ash has passed on but cat attacks are so cruel for the wee darlings. I'm so glad Ang is perky.
Lisa you won't believe this but I oldest friends name is Ang and her husband is Ash - such a coinsidence, I think I'll email your photo and caption to them - is that OK?
LoVe you little birds eggs too - clever you!
Take care
Shane
pollardshane6@gmail.com

Shane Pollard said...

Sorry, I've got Debrina's problem and I meant to say...
MY oldest friend's name...

duuur

Shane

Deborah said...

Good for you for fostering the birds. It is sad to lose a little one. Great red wire!

deb said...

I have been thinking of you lately s I am reading Colin Tudge's book on Birds, and lo! I get here and you are being a bird mama. If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it.

BadPenny said...

What dear baby birds - so sad one died .

Your post arrived safey ! Wonderful ! I just love your Five Gold rings for the swap and thank you so much for the extra goodies. I'm going to do post about it all soon but I won't be showing the mathboxes on my blog til Chrismas !

A few more to arrive then I'll get the boxes in the post xx

layers said...

How wonderful you are to take on hurt little birds that need constant care and feeding- fits right in with your approach to your art.

John M. Mora said...

like chicken little?