Tioman Island, East Coast Penninsular Malaysia
A snowy white little egret broke into the boat. I was over the side in the water swimming. As I boarded the boat to dry off I caught sight of something fluttering and white in the galley window. My view was through the open companionway into the galley. On closer attention the fluttering was the right wing of a bird flying at the galley window in a vain attempt to get free. I must have frightened it when I came up.
Costas, my grandson, was sitting at the dining table dosing and unaware of the commotion until I called his name. "What the heck? How did that bird get in here?". Costas tried to gently coax the bird back up the companionway. I had moved to the hatch over the main saloon to vacate an open path for the birds get-away. The bird instead walked aft into the stateroom cabin.
I was surprised at how calm out little visitor managed itself. After following it into the aft head I managed to exchange places and walk it back out to the galley where Costas and I working together could try to coax it up the companionway ladder. The bird wasn't going there. After hopping up to the navigation station desk and onto my computer keyboard I decided to take a hold of the little fearless feathery. I managed to get a hold with my two hands pining one wing down and the other wing up. I got one peck on the wrist for my efforts as I turned smoothly to the companionway. All in all the bird seemed unruffled while retreating through the cockpit to the port rail.
The stainless steel rail is ideal in size for the grip of our visitor and it was in no hurry to leave sitting on the rail preening its feathers. It eventually left around 2:00am when a squall came through. We guess that our friend is treated well by the local fishermen and it has learned to come to boats. How nice! My heart is made happy.
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