There was a medium sized bird stuck behind the fireplace insert, heard it chirping after we got done with a large backyard bbq party and started to relax later that night.

The screws I needed to remove the inserts bordering were rusted solid so I drilled them out and removed the bordering and the bird jumped out from behind there after a few minutes and just stared at me from my living room floor, it was freaking hilarious.

I let him outside in the middle of my backyard and it ran over to a beverage table we had set right by the back door and tucked it face into one of its wings and slept, it was still there when I went to bed and was gone when I woke up. It was not scared of me at all and I could touch him if I wanted to, I saved his life! Heh

Needless to say I need a chimney cap as our backyard seems to attract alot birds and this was bound to happen.
Anything wrong with the chimney caps at home depot/lowes? They seem to be about $40-$60.

I called a chimney sweep to inquire about getting it swept out after this ordeal and when I asked about a cap he said $140 at minimum which seems high vs. a home depot/lowes one, wasnt sure if there was something I should know about a store bought cap vs. one provided by chimney sweep?

Go here, be happy.

When you look at chimney caps avoid the the ones with little slits and small spaces for smoke to escape.  



You might think good, nothing can nest in them, but the reality is they get closed up with creosote quicker and at the worse time to have to go up on the roof and deal with it.

Found this guy in our stove a few years ago, I capped it the next day.

He was having a hoot!



 

You can get a stainless steel cap on Ebay for around $100.  

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Forever-Fireplace-Stove-Stainless-Steel-Chimney-Cap-17-x-17-Part-CCS53111-/321606644238