Well, to be more precise, Jake found it and he pulled a Louie. Louie was Jake’s predecessor, a gentle giant of a German shepherd. Where Louie was Odin, Jake is Loki.
But he pulled a Louie nonetheless.
We were hiking last evening in a downpour - not a soul at the wilderness park aside from us, a white egret, a great blue heron, puddle-loving ducks and froggies everywhere.
So we were coming from the backside, hiking along the flooded vineyard trail- and I do mean flooded- when Jake vanished behind a copse of stunted creosote bushes. I kept walking, but he didn’t follow. I turned back to look for him and saw him standing behind the bushes, front feet spread apart, staring at something on the ground.
I called. He didn’t come. I called. He didn’t come. He continued to stare at whatever was between his front feet, so I turned around to get a closer look. As I approached, he stepped away from the thing and ran to me, than ran back and stood above it again, his front feet spread apart.
From where I stood, fifteen feet away, the thing looked like a dead bird, on it’s stomach, wings spread out, about the size of a crow. I figured it had been killed by a hawk and I worried Jake might grab it and run off, but instead he just stared at me. As I picked my way through the brush, thinking I’d have to leash him to get him away from the dead bird, he nudged it with his nose. Lo and behold, it gave a weak flap and lifted its head.
Jake remained totally still as I approached, one big front foot on each side of the bird. I realized the thing wasn’t a crow, it was a baby bird, but the biggest damn baby bird I’d ever seen. It was soaked to the skin, cold as ice and weak as a… well, as a baby bird. Jake didn’t move while I picked the bird up, folded its wings back together and stuck it under my jacket.
The minute Jake saw me tuck the bird safely away, he trotted off down the trail, running back every minute or so to sniff at me before heading off again.
I said, “Jake, we have to go back to the car and take care of this bird.”
He got that. I know for sure he understands the words ‘go’, ‘car’, and ‘bird’ because we have birds at home.
I felt the bird settling against my abdomen. It didn’t move during the 25 minutes it took to make it back to the car, so before I buckled my seat belt, I checked to make sure it was alive. It looked up at me, the funniest looking baby bird I’d ever seen.
It was now 5:35 p.m. and the bird rescue place closed at 6 p.m. We were 15 minutes away in good traffic and traffic sucked just then, but we made it with 5 minutes to spare. I walked into the office, reached under my wet jacket, and pulled out the bird.
There was a tech behind the counter. Her eyes opened wide. “Ooooooh,” she said. She took him from me and ran to the back. “Look! Look! Look!” she yelled to the folks back there. I didn’t know what she was yelling about. I figured it was just some weird big baby bird.
It was a baby great blue heron. How totally cool! Mostly cool that Jake found him, kinda cool that I saved him, but just plain cool. I can now say I’ve held a great blue heron baby and it pooped on my sweater.
(The photo is a stock photo - it was raining so hard I left my phone behind, but yup, that’s the bird!)
Wow, Jake’s a hero and you too of course.
Oh, I’m crying! What a great story. Totally worth the poopy sweater. :^)
What a wonderful story. It’s amazing how sensitive animals are to other animals in need. Thanks to you and Jake (and those at the rescue center) the baby heron has a fighting chance at survival.
How wonderful you and Jake saved a blue heron! Thank you.
XXOO Kat
I love birds and watch for blue herons when I drive past our city’s wetland marsh. What a neat experience! My cat used to save baby birds that fell out of our trees, and he caught the same chipmunk that ran past him everyday, brought him for me to see, and then him go. I miss that cat.
Wow, great save! I hope the little one makes it, but at least you know you did your best to give it a fighting chance.
That is awesome! I’m so happy you and Jake rescued the heron. We have them here is CT and they are just beautiful birds.
We have lots of egrets here, Casey, fewer great blue herons. They are totally cool and I’ve seen them in this park, especially in recent weeks.
I think he’ll make it, Jen. He gave me quite a look with his yellow eyes.
Thanks for stopping by, Judith. I adore birds. Just love them. They are so very ancient and so totally amazing.
We did, Kat! I’m proud of Jake for not stepping on it or running off with it!
Hi Janice. Nice to meet you. Yes, my other two dogs were very sensitive, but Jake is smart as a whip and ADD-ish. You never know what he’s going to do next. Apparently he’s got the same consideration for little creatures my other dogs had.
I think this bird will do well. I got him really warm.
Yeah, Penny - and the good old Carhartt Jacket!
Well, he is my hero, Amber, but then I love all my doggies!
Awwww. That is a wonderful story! Good on, Jake AND you for rescuing the baby! So glad your story had a happy ending!
I think it will have a happy ending, Anny. I’m a big fan of birds and dogs!
Oh wow, you have a hero in the family…Our family has saved so many over the years..
Wow, the combined heroics made for a gripping tale! Thank goodness for Jake and thank goodness you made it to the rescue place. Otherwise you would have had to feed the baby throughout the night. Baby herons eat puked up worms, fish, snails, and frogs. Tasty.
Yes, Jaye, I was trying to figure out what I was going to feed the little bugger. Canned cat food. When in doubt… canned cat food. I was also figured I’d have to put him in with my birds because of the heat lamp, but in a shoe box. Wouldn’t want my birds to catch anything.
Yup, got a hero, Savannah. It does feel good to save little birdies.
and there was me thinking we were in for something that was about to be plucked and stuffed
Only kidding, see that’s why you are one of my favs.
Bbut you and I are going to have a serious talk about walks, dogs and leashes, when you get here Oh and by the way I will be trying to organise a trip up a big clock tower in London so I will need details of when you will be in Town, but I can’t promise it will happen. Needs to be booked well in advance
What a good dog (and Dog-mom)! Team Jake! S
Yeah, Steph! Team Jake!
But Tom, we have so much open space here and when it rains I’m the only one stupid enough to hike… Jake does walk well on a leash too! Okay, big clock tower. Also the church where all the old kings and queens are buried. And The Tower…
Tom, my great grandmother used to ring the necks of chickens. Won’t catch me doing that.
Big smooches to you both for saving the baby!