So...one old bird

So the other day the kids were playing outside and came to tell me they had found a bird.  I briefly wondered about the kids intense excitement over the news before cringing at the thought of picking up a dead bird the cat had left behind yet again.
With a sigh I grabbed a plastic packet to inter the poor birdie in and wandered outside.

But lo and behold  the birdie was still very much alive so I exchanged the packet for a camera instead to snap the kids joy over their discovery.

And I just love the faces in this photo, they make me laugh every time I see it!

Trying to get a closer look without frightening the poor bird.

Well as the bird didn't appear to be going anywhere fast I thought I'd better save it from my kid's increasing attentions as well as the cat's claws, so I gathered it up into a washing basket, put down some food & water and made sure it was as safe as could be for the time being while we worked out what to do with it.  So it spent the afternoon eating, drinking and flapping up to perch on the edge of the basket.

I had assumed it must be a juvenile, but when The Dad got home  it turns out it was in fact just an old and tired birdie.  So he and the kids took it home to the big trees down at our local park and set it free. 

Bye bye birdie and I hope you weren't too traumatised by my children's close inspection!