Yesterday I had the pleasure of keeping a Robin company, who the cats had brought in at first light. I found her opposite a ginger kitty, who was squatting before her and purring. The robin’s left eye was badly damaged, but the wound was several days old. She was very weak and couldn’t fly but otherwise looked whole, and she seemed to prefer perching on my fingers – or clinging to the buttons of my shirt under my chin – to being left alone in the dark (the prescribed method for recuperating wild birds).
I called the local wildlife rescue, and they suggested antibiotic eye-drops for possible infection. Due to an encounter between my own eye and a microscopic burr barb years ago, we had just the thing in the medicine cupboard, so I treated her and we waited. In the meantime, I offered her the bathroom for solitude, and we went for air on the front porch now and then. All day long, none of the (normally quite bloodthirsty) cats or dogs tried to harm her, even when she was hopping around in the house and battering against the cabinets drunkenly.
A couple hours after being treated, Little Robin seemed much stronger. On one of our porch outings she surprised me by taking off and flying the length of the front yard. She rested in the long grass and then was gone. Perhaps she had been weak from infection, and the eye drops sorted her out. I don’t think her eye can recover but I’ve seen wild ones with worse injuries by far. What is important is that she is free, and flying once more.
I much prefer when the wild ones get what they need and continue on their own terms; I’m always grateful to be able to be close to them for a time.
Robin signifies stimulation of new growth and renewal in many areas of life. He teaches that any changes can be made with joy, laughter and a song in your heart.
-from www.spirit-animals.com/robin
