A Goodbye to Slurpie – and the Preciousness of Every Day 🌿💔
Today I write with a heavy heart but also overflowing with gratitude. My little rescue starling, Slurpie, passed away on day fifteen. I found her gone before lunch feeding. There was signs of harm her mouth was bleeding, what happend I don't know, what happened. For that, I’m grateful
my other pets were all innocent. Still, the loss feels deep. Every rescue leaves a mark on our hearts, and Slurpie taught me more than I expected in those short two weeks. 🕊
🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊
Slurpie’s gift of slowing down
Caring for a tiny, fragile bird made me slow down. Each feeding, each gentle chirp, each flutter of her little wings felt like a small miracle. Losing her reminded me that time is so little each day
Every second can be our first and our last.
Two lives, two reminders
At the same time, I’ve been caring for Granny Hazel, who is healing at home. Watching her grow stronger reminds me that health is such a blessing, one we often overlook until it’s tested. Both Granny and Slurpie showed me that what matters most is kindness, care, and making the most of every single day we’re given. 💛
Starling Birds are birds I have not really always noticed but have learned to much about them, and would love to share them with you, all credit to the creators of this wonderful content available
Back to the everyday hum
The day, after saying goodbye to Slurpie, I bathed all my pets
a small act of care that brought some comfort. 👉Nina the Rescue👈, my rescue dog, managed to roll in something messy after her walk and came back sneezing and wagging her tail. Even in sadness, life has its funny little moments, reminding me to smile through the tears. 😄
Closing
I’ll continue sharing Granny Hazel’s updates through her BackaBuddy page as we raise funds to help her live comfortably and heal at home. And through it all, I’ll keep rescuing, creating, and cherishing the moments that make life meaningful.
Because love ❤
no matter how small, feathery, or fragile ❤
always leaves a light behind. 💫
With love❤❤❤❤❤❤❤,
Tanya
🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦
Useful Info & Tips,
......... because every life counts 📝
❓What to do when you find a baby bird🐦
If you discover a baby bird in your yard or complex:
First identify: Is it a nestling (very young, few feathers, unable to hop/fly) or a fledgling/brancher (feathered, hopping on ground or in leaves, still learning)?
If it’s a nestling and it can be safely returned to its nest, do so (and monitor quietly).
If it’s a fledgling on the ground with parents nearby, often the best thing is to leave it alone-the parents may still be caring for it.
If you determine the bird is injured, extremely cold, abandoned, or vulnerable, place in a ventilated box with a soft towel, keep warm but do not attempt to feed or water unless trained
because incorrect feeding can do more harm than good.
Keep pets (cats/dogs) away until the baby is safe.
Contact a wildlife rehabilitation centre or vet for advice ⚠ do not assume you can raise it safely without guidance.
Why are baby birds (and chicks) dying around complexes? What could be the cause?
Read Article 👉News24 Increase in garden birds dying👈
According to research and local reports:
A major cause is misuse of pesticides/rodenticides or poisons. Birds may ingest toxins directly or via secondary poisoning (e.g. eating rodents that have been poisoned).
Habitat loss and disturbance: nests may be disturbed, fledglings fall to the ground and become easy prey (cats, dogs), or be hit by vehicles.
Environmental pollution and chemical exposure: including some agro-chemicals and other pollutants interfering with development or survival of chicks.
Can our community help secure more habitat for birds?
Absolutely! Some ideas:
Preserve or plant native trees/bushes and avoid clearing old nests unless absolutely necessary.
Provide safe zones: for example designate garden corners where birds can nest undisturbed, keep cats indoors at certain times (especially fledgling season), reduce use of poisons.
Educate neighbours about birds: how to distinguish nestlings vs fledglings, what to do when you find one, and encourage them not to “rescue” a healthy fledgling unnecessarily.
Work with the residents’ association, complex management or HOA to reduce chemical use or ensure safe pest-control that doesn’t harm non-target wildlife.
What about birds in workplaces, shops, etc? Are they considered pests, is it legal to kill them?👮
In the pest-control industry there are “bird control” services that deter birds from roosting/nesting on buildings. This is allowed if done humanely and according to labour/environment laws.
However, indiscriminate killing of birds (especially protected species) is not lawful in many cases. For instance in South Africa the use of poisons for birds (non-target species) has caused serious incidents and is subject to regulation.
As a community: challenge any property manager or shop using illegal bird poisons or traps. Opt instead for safe methods such as nets, spikes, non‐lethal deterrents rather than killing.
👀👪What can we as a community do to save birds?
Talk to neighbours, the residents’ association or complex management about bird-friendly policies.
Promote “no poison” rule: e.g., explain that using rodent poison may kill rodents and birds of prey (or other birds) that feed on them.
Provide water sources / bird‐feeders (safely placed) to support birds, especially in dry/harsher seasons.
Work with local wildlife rescue/rehabilitation centres to run community outreach/education.
Monitor and report large numbers of dead birds.
❤This could indicate poisoning, disease, or habitat issue and should be investigated by wildlife authorities.
Contacts South African bird/wildlife rescues
Here are some helpful contacts you can list (with links) in your blog:
C.R.O.W. (KwaZulu-Natal) – oldest wildlife rehab centre in South Africa, rescues birds and many other animals.
Wild Rescue (Western Cape) – rescue/rehab facility in the Western Cape with indigenous nursery and nature reserve.
Friends of Free Wildlife – community-based urban wildlife rehab in South Africa.
Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital – 24-h helpline for baby bird and other wildlife emergencies.
Short warning: Why not to give rats/mice poison because of birds
When you use rodent poison, you risk secondary poisoning: any bird that eats those poisoned animals may pick up the toxin. Over time this leads to bird deaths, including birds of prey or other scavengers. It’s well-documented in South Africa.
Every click, share, and purchase from my Benable Recommendation List helps me rescue animals and create art that heals.
🐾 Spotlight: Chocolate’s Angels Animal Rescue ❤ saving abandoned and injured animals.
💔 They need help with vet bills — Donate now on YouTube.
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Apps & Tools That Made This Blog Possible
ChatGPT – brainstorming
Grammarly – polishing
Google Blogger – hosting
Waveful – building community
Canva – creating visuals
✨ Message of the Day: Bee Happy! Like, follow, and share your favorite rescue pet stories. We can’t all adopt, but we can all speak up.
🐾 Bee Happy Paws, Claws & More 💓 Caring Deeply, Choosing Wisely
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