The roller coaster ride continues. Don't read this if you're looking for roses & sunshine today.
I went out for errands this afternoon with my magic purple hair. On the way home, on the highway (which at times seems like its a dragway), there I saw her standing on the side of the road. A beautiful cormorant. Instantly I knew "trouble." The rule is, anytime you see a bird somewhere it would not normally be, something is wrong. I was going north. Traffic was streaming south fast & steady. I pulled over.
After I pulled over, I got out of my car and watched her. She could not fly, but did not seem to be dragging either wing. I opened the hatch and retrieved a beach towel, and a sheet. I very slowly began to walk towards the bird. Traffic didn't slow, it remained fast & steady.
I didn't want to scare her into traffic, so I approached very slowly, but she began to cross the highway anyway. Traffic still did not slow. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. No one cared. Through only what I can call a miracle she made it across, and jumped up to sit on the concrete barrier at the side of the roadway. I got to the barrier, and looked to see what was on the other side. It was about a 12 foot drop, too much for me to handle if she jumped or fell. So, I continued slowly. She jumped off the barrier, and ran into traffic. My magic purple hair got me noticed at this point, and traffic northbound slowed, but the traffic going south did not. A large vehicle trailering a large boat struck her. Right before my eyes, she was hit. It was a direct and hard hit, which sounded just like the thunk of someone closing a car door. I screamed, and then admittedly I swore. Loudly. I started to go towards the bird. People began to slow down. The bird was now tragically tumbling in the street, yet the offending vehicle continued on without a care.
I ran into the middle of the highway with my rescue sheet & towel. Mercifully traffic both ways stopped. There was no time to spare, no slow approach now. She was very wounded and traffic was backing up. I sprinted to her, threw the towel over her, and wrapped her with the sheet. As gently as possible I picked her up and ran to my car. I mouthed "thank you" to both of the lead vehicles north & southbound who had stopped, and waited for an opportunity to move back into traffic.
My first call was to Mr. Happy Vegan to tell him I would be delayed, and what happened. The next call was to Maya at Wildlife Rescue here on Big Pine. After a few quick questions, I was cleared to bring the bird in, so off I went with the injured cormorant on my lap.
When I arrived at the Center, a volunteer named Jerry met me. He asked a few quick questions, and ever so carefully unwrapped her. He did a quick assessment. There was no visible blood, I told him about the "thunk" and that I feared a head injury secondary to whatever the first injury she was dealing with was. He asked me to name her, and I said "Hope." He thought that was good too.
After a few more minutes of discussion, I left. I will call the Center tomorrow to see if Hope makes it through the night.
Someone asked me yesterday about what I thought can anyone do to help effect change, specifically talking about a different environmental issue, but I couldn't really respond. I said just do good when you can and never give up. Today I would have answered differently, and it came to me as the truck/boat combo hit Hope and drove on. My answer would be "just care." Care. That's what I ask of anyone. Care enough to feed a hungry person or animal. Care enough to comfort a soul in pain. Care enough to recycle, care enough to pick up trash, care enough not to litter. And, care enough for other living beings, including purple haired vegans desperately crossing traffic trying to save a bird named Hope from a fate she didn't ask for, can't control, and doesn't deserve.
Just care.
You can donate to Wildlife Bird Rescue at
I went out for errands this afternoon with my magic purple hair. On the way home, on the highway (which at times seems like its a dragway), there I saw her standing on the side of the road. A beautiful cormorant. Instantly I knew "trouble." The rule is, anytime you see a bird somewhere it would not normally be, something is wrong. I was going north. Traffic was streaming south fast & steady. I pulled over.
After I pulled over, I got out of my car and watched her. She could not fly, but did not seem to be dragging either wing. I opened the hatch and retrieved a beach towel, and a sheet. I very slowly began to walk towards the bird. Traffic didn't slow, it remained fast & steady.
I didn't want to scare her into traffic, so I approached very slowly, but she began to cross the highway anyway. Traffic still did not slow. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. No one cared. Through only what I can call a miracle she made it across, and jumped up to sit on the concrete barrier at the side of the roadway. I got to the barrier, and looked to see what was on the other side. It was about a 12 foot drop, too much for me to handle if she jumped or fell. So, I continued slowly. She jumped off the barrier, and ran into traffic. My magic purple hair got me noticed at this point, and traffic northbound slowed, but the traffic going south did not. A large vehicle trailering a large boat struck her. Right before my eyes, she was hit. It was a direct and hard hit, which sounded just like the thunk of someone closing a car door. I screamed, and then admittedly I swore. Loudly. I started to go towards the bird. People began to slow down. The bird was now tragically tumbling in the street, yet the offending vehicle continued on without a care.
I ran into the middle of the highway with my rescue sheet & towel. Mercifully traffic both ways stopped. There was no time to spare, no slow approach now. She was very wounded and traffic was backing up. I sprinted to her, threw the towel over her, and wrapped her with the sheet. As gently as possible I picked her up and ran to my car. I mouthed "thank you" to both of the lead vehicles north & southbound who had stopped, and waited for an opportunity to move back into traffic.
My first call was to Mr. Happy Vegan to tell him I would be delayed, and what happened. The next call was to Maya at Wildlife Rescue here on Big Pine. After a few quick questions, I was cleared to bring the bird in, so off I went with the injured cormorant on my lap.
When I arrived at the Center, a volunteer named Jerry met me. He asked a few quick questions, and ever so carefully unwrapped her. He did a quick assessment. There was no visible blood, I told him about the "thunk" and that I feared a head injury secondary to whatever the first injury she was dealing with was. He asked me to name her, and I said "Hope." He thought that was good too.
After a few more minutes of discussion, I left. I will call the Center tomorrow to see if Hope makes it through the night.
Someone asked me yesterday about what I thought can anyone do to help effect change, specifically talking about a different environmental issue, but I couldn't really respond. I said just do good when you can and never give up. Today I would have answered differently, and it came to me as the truck/boat combo hit Hope and drove on. My answer would be "just care." Care. That's what I ask of anyone. Care enough to feed a hungry person or animal. Care enough to comfort a soul in pain. Care enough to recycle, care enough to pick up trash, care enough not to litter. And, care enough for other living beings, including purple haired vegans desperately crossing traffic trying to save a bird named Hope from a fate she didn't ask for, can't control, and doesn't deserve.
Just care.
You can donate to Wildlife Bird Rescue at
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