Gratitude................

This morning, when I was taking some kitchen waste to the compost bin, I discovered a starling trapped in my fat-ball feeder. He hadn't been there long because I'd not seen him when I was in the garden five minutes earlier. By the time I got to him he was really, really stuck. The opening of the spiral wire feeder is probably about 7cms in diameter narrowing down to nothing and he'd managed to get his entire body inside with beak, wings and legs sticking out all over the place. I took the feeder down and sat down on my garden bench. Holding the feeder between my knees I started trying to free him, but he didn't do much to help. He gripped the feeder with his claws and held on for dear life, it was not at all obvious how I was going to get him out. After a few minutes, carefully wrestling with his legs, wings and beak I got him free, whereupon he pecked my hand and flew off shouting starling curses. Honestly, you do a starling a good turn and what thanks do you get........