Last night at dinner I glanced out the window at the bird feeders and noticed a bird hanging from the suet feeder by one leg, wings wildly flapping.
Slowly and quietly I went out onto the deck thinking it had caught its foot; talking gently; intending to free it.
At my approach it flew away and I guessed it had altered position as I appeared and freed itself.
Setlled again inside at the dinner table, I noticed it had come back to the feeder; noticed it was not caught; saw that it was clinging with only one foot and that the wings were beating for balance.
I went and got the camera. If you click on the photo to enlarge it you will be able to see better. But I do not know the reason for the lame leg.
And as I was taking the pictures (there were many; most were blurry) I had a moment misgiving about doing so with the intent of posting it here. Was I focusing on the ability or the disability. Then the question didn't seem to matter.
Next came to mind an incident with birds which I had written about for a publication many years ago and had just come across in the most recent simpliying/organizing of files.
Here it is: