A Life's Struggle

I am sitting here near my wood heater's flue listening to a tiny swallow which has fallen down the flue. I can't reach him because our flue is over 20 feet long and takes a few turns as it winds up the long ceiling to the roof top.

This happens occasionally, usually to swallows, and sometimes resolve with a live exit and sometimes not. When I hear one drop into the fire box, I can open the door and catch it, or let it fly crazily around the open space until it finds it's way out the opened door upstairs.

Covering the top is the answer, but our roof is very tall and steep and I worry about my man taking a tumble of his own.

It sounds quite desperate, poor little thing, calling all the time, and loosened soot is clattering down the flue as it struggles to maintain its hold. One more turn in the flue and it's down.

I wish it luck........