Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Baby birdies!

When Jack and I came home today, I spotted something in the yard that looked like a mess of branches. When I walked over to it, I immediately spotted four baby birds on the grass and realized it was a nest that had fallen from our tree. I almost cried! Poor little guys. I thought they had died immediately, so I rushed Jack in the house, but then I saw that at least some of them were breathing. I got a pair of gloves and tried to put them back in the nest as gently as I could. Two of them were upside down on the grass and one was very weak and couldn't hold its head up when I tried to pick it up, so I'm worried it broke its neck on the way down. They were all breathing but not making much of a fuss, so I'm not sure if they'll make it or not. I nestled them back into the safest spot I could find in the tree, and keep checking on them. Sadly, I have not seen the mama bird return, but the birds haven't woken up yet, either, so maybe she is watching and knows they don't need her yet. They are sleeping soundly and at least three of the four are breathing. I can't see the fourth one, he's underneath the rest. Good old Google tells me that orphaned baby birds are actually quite a wive's tale, and that the mother most likely won't abandon them if she smells me on them (but I used gloves just in case). I just hope that she'll find them in their new home. Again, The Google tells me that they have a good chance anyway- that another bird may feed them if it hears them crying. Poor birdies... they're so sweet and tiny.
Looking at these pictures, they are far less sweet looking in photos- they look pretty scraggly and gross, but I swear in person they are very downy and cute.







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