I KNOW, I AM CUTE!

Isn’t that tweet: Flint the spaniel DOESN’T make a dog’s dinner out of tiny sparrow friend Chicky.

They were originally bred as hunting dogs who would think nothing of gobbling up a tiny bird as a tasty snack.
But cocker spaniel Flint went against all his natural instincts to befriend this tiny sparrow which had tumbled out of its nest and crash-landed in the garden.
Chicky appearing in great danger and he tumbled on to the lawn in Wiltshire, but softy Flint appeared to have taken pity on him.

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Birders ecstatic to learn Mississippi kite is breeding in Ohio

For three years, birders have searched Hocking County trees for proof that a southern bird has made its home in Ohio.

This month, they discovered its nest in a white ash tree in Hideaway Hills.

The Mississippi kite has moved to Ohio.

“This is hugely important,” said Jim McCormac of the Ohio Division of Wildlife. “They are charismatic and very cool, but more importantly, it represents a recovery of habitat.”

The kite is about the size of a peregrine falcon, but lighter. It hunts insects on the fly, swooping in on cicadas and dragonflies at 70 mph.

McCormac, who has written a paper on the kite with Ohio State University researcher Aaron Boone, thinks the bird used to breed in Ohio centuries ago.

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I think someone should tell him that it won’t help…lol

The animal was caught in birdlime – a sticky substance used to trap birds, which is illegal in mainland Britain.

The female bird, which is now unable to fly, was found hopping in the road two weeks ago with its wings coated in the glue.

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Original photo here by floridapfe