This is the heartwarming moment a woman safely rescued a rare KINGFISHER by hand after it flew into her kitchen and got trapped inside her home.
Charlotte Lawrie, 33, managed to capture the incredible encounter with the elusive bird before it took flight from the palm of her hand following the dramatic rescue mission.
She had been making a cup of coffee while getting ready for work when the eye-catching blue and orange bird flew through her doors at 9.30am on Friday (20/11).
But the startled kingfisher got into a flap when it saw Charlotte’s pet dog and became trapped behind her house plants on the kitchen windowsill.
Charlotte moved her rottweiler Triton outside into the garden while she went about trying to usher the frightened bird towards an open window.
But as she attempted to push him back with an unopened pack of dishcloths he froze, forcing her to pick up the tiny fragile bird by hand and carry it outside.
Amazing footage shows Charlotte telling the bird “you’ve got this little bird, you’re okay, you’re just in shock sweetheart” as she tenderly strokes him in her palm.
She then carries him back towards the river which runs behind her home in Bourne, Lincs., while saying “You’re okay Mr Kingfisher.”
As Charlotte strokes the bird’s head, it then takes off from the palm of her hand towards the water as she exclaims: “Hey, look at that, he’s fine.”
Charlotte said she felt “like a Disney princess” when she rescued the bird which was as “light as air” when she picked it up to move it to safety.
She sometimes catch’s glimpses of kingfishers and hears their distinctive calls but was left flabbergasted when one flew into her home.
Charlotte, who works in manufacturing and lives with partner Joe Ray, 28, said: “We see them flitting up and down the river but it’s never more than a momentary glance.
“I have never heard of one flying into somebody’s home let alone anyone rescuing them by hand. It’s insane really.
“It flew in through the kitchen door while I was getting ready for work. Our back garden looks over a little river called the Bourne Eau.
“Although I knew it was a bird, I didn’t realise it was a kingfisher until I saw the blue and orange.
“Now there was one in the kitchen and I thought ‘that’s amazing’. I had to film it because I knew how rare this was.
“I tried to get outside by opening the window. There are cacti on the window sill and I was worried it would get hurt really badly on the spikes.
“I moved those out of the way, but it wasn’t going towards the window. It had frozen. I think it was a possum thing trying to play dead.
“It must have been massively confusing for it to one minute be flying up and down a river and then stuck in glass cage with a load of cacti plants.
“I took some Sainsbury’s dish clothes and tried to push it the right way. That didn’t work so I decided to pick it up. I felt like a Disney Princess.
“In the video you can see my hand was shaking. I didn’t want it to hurt himself. They are so fragile. When I picked it up, it was like picking up air.
“I put it on a flower bed, took the dog inside and waited. There are also cats in the area and I didn’t want it to become prey.
“Then I picked it up and took it over to the river hobbling on my crutches, as I’ve got a busted leg.
“It was a bit difficult to balance the phone, the crutch and the bird but I just felt like it was such a rare moment I had to capture it on camera
“As I was checking it over and looking at its wings she suddenly flew off and was fine.
“Once he realised the coast was clear and had a chance to look around, he just went for it. It was such a relief.
“It was incredible. I had flipped it on its back then it started to rotate. I could see the little wings were fine then he flew away.
“It was a massive relief he was OK. I’d never heard of anyone taking a kingfisher to the vet’s before.
“To have one in my hands was amazing. It was once in a lifetime experience. They are such rare and beautiful birds.
“I see them as England’s tropical birds because their colours are so vibrant.
“My dad is an avid bird watcher and got very excited when I told him.
“He sits out on the River Welland but has never seen one sitting still or up so close. He was a bit jealous.
“It all happened in the space of five minutes. It was really quick. In the video there is no time in between.
“I don’t think people should pick up wild birds. It is not a good idea with things like avian flu.
“But at the time I felt like I didn’t have another option to stop it hurting itself.
“I’m still riding the high from it. It was really special. I was delighted I was able to help.
“I feel very lucky. I think I’m only just coming down from my kingfisher adrenaline rush.
“I hope it cheers people up in this glum year.”
According to the RSPB, kingfishers are small “unmistakable” bright blue and orange birds of slow moving or still water.
They fly rapidly, low over water, and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the water’s surface.
Kingfishers are amber listed – the second most critical group of birds – because of their unfavourable conservation status in Europe.
They are also listed as a Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act offering them additional protection.
