Off he went for his morning walk with Dougal in tow when near John's place, he saw a poor old tawny frogmouth owl spread-eagled across a barbed wire fence. Poor thing must have been in it's swooping phase when it crashed into the fence. But David noticed it move. On closer inspection he could see that it's wings were indeed caught up in the barbed wire. He took out his trusty pocket knife, yes dear internets this man of mine is always prepared for anything, and he slowly cut its wings free.
This isn't the actual bird. When I went to see if I could find a photograph of one in Google Images, there were heaps so I presume this is not an uncommon experience for the poor dears.
So where was I? Oh yes, he cut the wings free from the fence and very gently pulled them inwards and held the bird in front of him. Looking around, he wondered what he was going to do next. This walk was supposed to finish with him getting in his truck and heading off to work. So, David being David, he stopped off at the first house, old John's place. John is not far off 80 and there was no way he would have been able to do much but good to have a show and tell and a natter.
Off up the hill again when he remembered one of our neighbours has three daughters. On a kilometre or so and up their very steep driveway. Mum and Dad were out, but the girls showed great concern for the injured one and ran for towels. David left Froggy in good hands and went on his way.
A week or so later when I was out for my morning walk, Mumma of the three girls stopped in her car and rolled down the window to tell me the outcome of the bird's fate. The girls trapped a mouse a day for its dinner and slowly the bird became stronger and stronger, to the point where it would stand on the edge of its box while being fed.
Finally the day came for it to leave its box and Papa took the bird outside. It decided that it wasn't sure if it wanted to head off into the blue yonder where sly barbed wire fences abound but had no choice when it was finally raised and thrown to the sky. Off it went across the paddock to the delight of everyone.
I'm really not sure what the highlight of the whole experience was for Froggy. Perhaps it was being hand fed by his three young carers or perhaps it was the day he went to school for Show & Tell?
