Thursday 25 July 2013

We were both Prisoners

It's been a while since it last happened.

At at the warehouse today, as I sat in front of an antique monitor with only a moderate amount of migraine inducing flicker, I heard the distinct flutter of wings up among the cabling and conduits, and then the easily recogniseable bubbling whistle of a certain songbird. Across the skylight I saw a long tail edged in white.

A pied wagtail had got itself trapped again.

I felt for it as it time and time again flew up to the skylights in hope of finding freedom, only to be denied at every turn. As I had seen happening before, the bird was tiring in every flight, every doomed attempt to escape seemingly sapping more energy from its wings. How cruel we are to put skylights that won't open in the roof, for bird and human alike.

I have rescued fledgelings from there before, but an adult wagtail would be far too elusive. The heat of the day rose, but eventually I noticed the bird had gone. I could only hope it had found its way out, as I realised that I still had another five hours of the day to run, as the sweat began to pour faster and faster.

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