[TN-Bird] "Scalped" chickadee

Happy Easter,
Yesterday afternoon, here at my home in the Charlotte Park area of West 
Nashville near the Cumberland River in Davidson County, I had an injured 
chickadee 
come to my feeder.  It appeared to have been "scalped" by a predator.  There 
are no feathers on the crown of its head, and there was blood around the top of 
the beak and around the eyes.  The dear little thing was actively taking 
sunflower seeds, cracking them and eating the contents.  After a couple of 
passes, 
it went away, and I didn't see it again the rest of the day although I was 
working at my kitchen sink most of the time.  I feared that it may have met its 
demise.

About 30 minutes ago, it returned seemingly still spry and actively cracking 
and eating sunflower seeds.  The feathers are completely gone from its crown, 
but most of the blood is gone, probably washed away by the torrents of rain we 
had earlier.  It is obviously injured, but it is really holding its own being 
a truly spunky little thing.  The head looks almost as if it went to the 
barber shop and had a "reverse Mohawk"  styled for its head. I will continue to 
watch out for this bird, hopefully to see it sprout a whole new crown of 
feathers.  I can't tell just how much damage has been done to the skin on the 
head 
although I can see that there appears to be some. 

It's amazing just how much strength these little creatures have to overcome 
obstacles. 

Cheers, prayers & joyous birding,

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN


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