Unexpected visitors

The first of our unexpected visitors arrived yesterday, suddenly through the sun room window. She charged about, totally disoriented, shouting to her friends who were lurking outside. I was startled but worried for her safety, she kept blundering into things, frightened and desperate to go back outside but seemingly unable to locate a safe exit.

Before I could shut the door and keep her in the sun room she had fled into the dining room and then into the sitting room with me in pursuit.. She crashed into the window, stunning herself and tumbled to the floor behind the settee.

“Where is she now?” my husband whispered.

I pointed and we peeped over the back of the settee and looked down at the young sparrow who crouched there, panting. Moving slowly, we opened the windows as wide as possible and gently pulled the settee forward to give her enough room to fly. We moved away, a brisk flutter, a flap and she was gone and we quickly shut the windows, shutting out the sparrow and shutting in the heat.

I headed back to the kitchen where I had been going before the stranger arrived, and blow me! There was another sparrow crashing around in the sun room! I quickly went in, shutting the door behind me and opened these windows as wide as they could go, as I had in the sitting room. The sparrow perched on an easel, his mouth gaping, panting and quite clearly alarmed. I stayed still. He had a mad dash against the glass and then he too managed to find his way out… more smartly closed windows.

So a few moments ago, I was sitting here, doing some blog admin and who should suddenly arrive, almost on the keyboard, yes, another young madam, fluttering and confused. Luckily my window was wide open and she flew straight back outside. I closed my window except for a crack, and now I’m roasting.

Sparrows seemed to be in a decline, but since we have neglected our garden, we have a whole flock of them in the wild hedge. The neighbours might not like the rampant growth but the sparrows certainly do and we’ve had several different sets of babies born. Because of the hot weather there are lots of lovely ants for them to feed on, and recently they have been perching on the window sills in between snacks. I think these young birds just flew the wrong way, and with our windows wide open to bring in some slight breeze and let out some roasting heat, I think they just flew the wrong way.

Back to the blog… now which page was I just updating?