SAMMY THE BLACKHEATH RAILWAY SPARROW

A REFUGEE SPARROW FROM THE CITY

Some time ago a sparrow living in Sydney’s Botanic Gardens was assaulted by a giant white ibis.  A dispute had broken out over crumbs at the café and the little fellow came off second best .  He went into hiding, but that didn’t really help.

The trauma was so great that he  decided it was time to leave the dangerous ‘jungle’ of the city and move west.  Not just a little bit west, but all the way to the beautiful Blue Mountains.

A few days later Samuel, (better known as Sammy) made his way to Central Station  and hopped on the train.  Well he could have flown of course, but he’d found an old Opal card in the Gardens’ café, so why not use it?

ALL ABOARD FOR A TREE-CHANGE

He was looking out the widow  as the stations  passed by and noticed there was a sort of general exodus from Sydney.

When the train reached Glenbrook and began to climb he realized he had given no thought all as to where  to get off and re-settle. Someone  had mentioned Lawson, but he was a bit concerned when he noticed what looked like a small lock-up.

Higher and higher they went; Springwood, Wentworth Falls, Leura, Katoomba   Some passengers disembarked (or is it detrained?) at Medlow Bath….hmm, looked a bit posh for a common sparrow he thought, being a humble soul.  More suitable for a lyrebird, or a peacock.

The very next stop (there weren’t many left) was Blackheath.  It looked OK, if a little chilly.  He hopped off, carefully minding the gap of course. Oh wow, that glorious fresh air! And public art!

PERMANENT RESIDENCY

On the other side of the tracks an Australian raven was keeping watch . She turned out to be the Mayor.

‘I do believe I will become an official Blackheathen,‘  Sammy  told himself, and immediately put in an application.

Next morning he woke at sparrow’s chirp (ho ho!) to find a  deputation waiting,  headed by Mayor Raven.  There were king parrots, crimson rosellas, currawongs, yellow robins and a good many blue wrens. They told Sammy he was quite welcome to stay, but on strict conditions. As a ‘blow-in’ he could never enjoy the freedom of Blackheath. as they did   Well that was a nasty shock!  He’d been looking forward to doing a bit of  bush walking, and visiting the local look-outs.

He told them his ancestors had been in Australia since 1863, but that didn’t impress them one iota.  A couple of cheeky magpies said, ‘Listen Mate, NO introduced species are allowed beyond the immediate village precinct’. 

And to be honest, that’s exactly how it has always been in Blackheath; for  pigeons, mynah birds, starlings…. and SPARROWS. Sometimes a Pommy blackbird breaks the rules, but if nobody looks into his eyes he passes for a male satin bowerbird. As for that orange beak…. must be pollen stain mate!

However, life was fine for Sammy in  the end. There were plenty of cafes in the village, and sometimes tourists even ate pies and cakes on the platform. Plenty of crumbs to go around, so very few squabbles. If an Indian mynah bird got out-of-hand the mayor would soon sort him out.  Of course the final arbitrator in any dispute is always…The Station Manager.

Three years have passed, and the little bird has married, and raised several families. So much nest building required, no matter how grey the day.

Never mind, come spring there’s always lots of material among the fallen cherry blossom.

Oh my, babies are so demanding! Moments away from nursery duties are rare.

DOMESTIC BLISS, SPARROW STYLE

Our hero’s beloved partner keeps a neat home in the rafters on No. 1 Platform. Sammy is responsible for the backyard, which he has to admit is a bit of a mess. An inside loo might help.

Sammy’s wife Gladys (see below) is always busy with her chicks, but graciously  took time out for a solo photo. She put a lot of effort into that shawl fringe effect.

By the way, the pigeon waiting for the train at Strathfield settled in Blackheath as well. He resides on platform 2.

Yes, it’s a cliché, but home is where the heart is.  Sammy is  proud to give his address as Top Floor, No. 1 Platform, Railway Station, Blackheath  NSW 2785.

UPDATE 2019. Sam is also environmentally responsible, as we all should be. Water restrictions? Not a problem, a dust bath will do instead.

Were Sammy and family in attendance for the celebration of the 150th birthday of the Railway Station on December 14? They certainly were! One day they will be considered part of the Station’s social history themselves.

UPDATE – AN IBIS SCARE

Oh good grief! Remember that damn ibis that drove Sammy from the city? A couple of months ago he was spotted at the local duck pond. Thankfully he’d arrived under his own steam, not on the train and never discovered our hero’s whereabouts. I’m glad to report that he has since moved on.

FEEL FREE TO LEAVE SAMMY A MESSAGE IN THE BOX BELOW.