Drying feathers and a Loud Chirp!

When it became unavoidable, I took to working on the last drawing project on our back porch. This project is on 4 foot by 6 foot paper so it's a bit more challenging (and aerodynamic) to work upon outside.

Thursday afternoon, I'd given up, cleared the dining room table, and moved the drawing project inside to attach/stitch on paper - painted and plaited to represent my family tartan (Royal Stewart) knowing that the cats would be delighted and HELPFUL. {sigh}

Just after I moved inside, Mikale, loitering at the back door, brought to our attention that two youngling birds had fallen (blown) into our ancient swimming pool. It was too late for us to help one of them, but the one I scooped out by hand was still alive.

His eyes were closed and he was shivering. Maybe gasping. I wondered if birds could cough.
There was water on his nostrils and his breathing didn't sound good. I was belatedly concerned about my putting my scent on the young sparrow and wondering if his parents would take him back. However, my spending the day playing with paint, water and washing my hands only when I paused to hang clothes on the laundry line might be useful in minimizing my scent.

I wanted to keep him warm so I tried to shield him from the wind as we sat in the sun at the West end of the porch.
I blew gently on his nostrils...kinda crazy, I know.
I also tried to help him dry off, using an old sheet that had been in the back yard for the Winter months shielding pipes from freezing and pending a launder before summer storage.
I hoped it would smell very little like "human" and it did seem to draw off some of the pool water.

Eventually his shivering slowed down, although his eyes were still closed. His back dried and his wings were beginning to dry when I noticed a good-sized lizard crossing the rocks about 6 inches from my feet. The bold lizard made me realize we'd been sitting there for a while.

I still had paint on my fingers -
my thumb-nail was turquoise. 

The sparrow opened his eyes soon after and I sat very still. He wasn't quite sure about me but his breathing seemed better. He looked around a bit, relieved himself in the palm of my hand {wry grin}, and then he surprised me with a loud chirp!

His parents quickly replied and they landed nearby on the jasmine (I could only see movement in my peripheral sight - I was still trying not to move/startle anyone).

I watched him stretch his wings, chirp more with his parents, and he finally took wing from my hand and flew to the top of our wall where a parental-sparrow joined him!

Yes, of course I cried. I couldn't help myself and I wouldn't care to stop such a response.
It also put my grumbling discontent about my drawing project into perspective.  ;-)

I know it's a bit of a long-shot, but I hope he doesn't have any residual effects from his near-drowning aside from enough sense to avoid swimming pools in the future.