Prisoner #113

16 years ago

Great news about Mr. Cardinal!

We went to the avian specialist earlier in the week to check the Cardinal's eyes and make sure no glaucoma was present. The Cardinal has put on good weight and has very good muscle mass and seems in excellent condition.

Best news is he can see! There was a partially detached retina and lots of fibrin strands and clots in his eye about 3 months ago when the ophthalmologist had said he is "blind in his left eye and the retina is shredded." His left eye looks and reacts identically to the right eye!

Both the avian vet and ophthalmologist said they have never seen such a complete recovery from so severe trauma. :-)

He is releasable with their blessings. Ooooooooooooooooo! This was such unexpected great news!

To say I was stunned at the news of the eye being healed is an understatement! I am not an ophthalmologist but when I heard her say the Cardinal's "retina is shredded" and there was no hope for improvement ... well we just care for him as we do our other birds with their special needs.

We *thought* maybe he could see from the left eye but he moves so fast and is always turning it was hard to really say. I went to another ophthalmologist to verify his eyes are both OK ... and yes they are! Amazing! I wonder if the diagnosis of "shredded retina" was a mistake due to a lot of debris and fibrin within the eye? Whatever the case he can go free now! :-)

Of course there are the dangers of Nature out there and I will forever worry about him but he needs to go and carry on as he was meant to do.

WooooooooooooHooooooooooo!

And so ......... This is more of a Camp Nappy Birdy Refugee Camp Bed and Breakfast moment of a lifetime .....

Prisoner #113 ...

...Step foreword, please. We have reviewed your extensive record and made note of your progress to improve yourself. In the five months that you have been incarcerated your behaviour has been a shining example to the other inmates. Even during the unfortunate ~tail feather incident~ you managed to maintain your composure and dignity while wearing your brilliant red jumpsuit with pointy cap.

In spite of your imprisonment and life sentence without parole, your attitude during captivity has been an inspiration and delight to all. Earlier in the week you met with three distinguished members of the Parole Board and it was the unanimous conclusion of the panel that you have made extraordinary strides to rehabilitate yourself and are no longer at risk to do yourself harm. It is the recommendation of all involved with your case, and the Warden has signed the paperwork, that society will benefit from your song and your future generations.

Today is YOUR Independence Day. As of this moment you are no longer Prisoner #113 but rather Mr. Cardinal. Born to be wild and to the wild you shall return....

......And with that proclamation (which Mike wrote) Mr. Cardinal got a kiss on the head from us. After the kiss I opened my hands and Mr. Cardinal flew to the crabapple tree. No band. No parade. Just a little "Cheep!" from Mr. Cardinal as I wiped tears of joy, worry and a touch of selfish sadness, from my eyes. The feeders are full of seeds. The water sources brimming with fresh water. Seeds were scattered over the patio in anticipation of Mr. Cardinal's flight to freedom. We retreated inside and he is in the tree looking over the garden. Awwww. As I'm trying to post this Mike say's that he is singing in the tree with tail fully intact! (More tears of happiness on this keyboard!)
God speed Mr. Cardinal.

Live long, stay safe and prosper, Mr. Cardinal.

Thank you for the true privilege of meeting you, Mr.Cardinal.

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Comments (16)

comettose
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That is a happy ending story C3D. I'm thrilled to hear the Cardinal was able to recover and live free. It is a profound feeling to release a bird and watch them fly away, no longer needing our care. Many do not make it so when one does it is a special day. Now, you will just have to keep a close eye on the toxic one to make sure she does not shoo this bird from her trees. If she does you must scale your fence and whack her with a broom, with no witnesses of course.
youreit
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Holy incarceration, I'm bawling my EYES out!!!!! Happy tears, of course, but...you know. This is THE best news I've heard in a LONG time!! Awwww....stay safe, Big Red! *waving my soggy hanky*

Brenda
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chickadeedeedee
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thankfully the Toxic One is very scarce since she was contacted by the police. :-) I'll have something handy with which to whack her though. Maybe Daisy's rubber chicken? LOL!

Mr. Cardinal is still around. He's been seen eating seeds from the feeders and on the patio. He's had a bath in the umbrella fountain. He's been going around the yard and met a male Cardinal. He was not driven off.

This is worse than sending your child off to school for the first time! He is not banded so the only way to tell if it is him is that he is more brown than bright red. I don't know if that is related to age, nutrition or genetics. He was more brownish when we got him.

So far so good. The weather could not be more perfect and it should remain so at least through Tuesday!
sheepco
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
YES!!!! Live long, stay safe, and prosper Mr. Cardinal! (kleenex pleae)

What a moment for you both! Thank God he had your care... please let your hearts be full at his freedom, even though you worry, take solice in his happiness!

Soar high sweet bird...

S
jeanner
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm still grinning! All day I thought about Mr. Red and how wonderful it must feel for him to be "out of prison". It really made my day - thank you C3d for all you do and for sharing it with us.

Sheepco, I love your last line - it is so perfect
bonnieblueyes
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Chickadeedeedee you are a precious, wonderful, special person.---------bonnie
chickadeedeedee
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Bonnie.

Thanks. I think Mr. C. has found a lady friend too. :-)

I post my tales of insanity here. The people here are very nice.

C3D
bonnieblueyes
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi back Chickadeedeedee, I can tell they are sweet hearts here, Not one mean word ,how nice :-) If you are insane then i hope i too can be insane like you. LOL Glad to hear Mr. C. is doing well, what a relief after all the effort you have put into his recovery and well being. May he live long and have many babies all named for you and mike! It would be funny to see a little red named chickadee :-)-------bonnie
chickadeedeedee
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Bonnie.

Mr. Cardinal's complete recovery and release was so unexpected but what a thrill of a lifetime for all involved! I think the avian specialist was as happy as Mr. Cardinal was! Not often that there is a happy happy ending but this sure was one! :-)

A few years ago we watched a pudgy fledgling Cardinal being fed by a pair of House Sparrows. There was a pair of Cardinals on the patio eating their seeds but they seemed unconcerned that a young Cardinal was being fostered by House Sparrows!

Ooooooo how I would *love* to know how it came about that the Cardinals hired these Nannies to attend to their chubby chick! LOL! He was HUGE and the little sparrows were so diligent in keeping this reddish bowling pin with a pointy head filled with seeds. I think we saw them feeding the fledgling for at least two weeks. Soooooo sweet! :-)

C3D
fairy_toadmother
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
YAY! somehow i missed this!
bonnieblueyes
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Chickadeedeedee i did not know house sparrows would take care of one that was not their own. I thought they killed other birds. How interesting. Maybe they took over a cardinal nest and missed an egg and it hatched with their own. Glad they fed the little one well, they are very good parents indeed. Wish i could have seen that maybe it would have made me like them more :-)-------bonnie
chickadeedeedee
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hooray! We made a 100% positive ID of our beloved Mr. Cardinal this morning through binoculars. He is still chubbier than the other Cardinals. Having been a prisoner for 5 months and on rations of sunflower seeds and cookies will do that. :-) Plus ... just his high energy in captivity frayed the tips of his tail feathers. That is who we heard and saw this morning. He's still at the feeders right now.

WooooooooHoooooooo!
youreit
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Awesome, Chicka!!!!!!!! Oh, that just makes me SO happy!!! Say hi to the little chubbette for us! :D

Brenda
bonnieblueyes
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yaaaaaaa Im so glad little red is doing good and hanging around and didnt fly off somewhere else! That is just the greatest news :-)~~~~~~~bonnie
jeanner
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm so glad you posted, I was wondering if you could tell them apart after you released him. Good to here he's healthy and happy!
ademink
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well that is a bawl your eyes out story!!!!! Chicka, I just love your socks off!

Prisoner #113

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