Birdie Rescue

Our patio has been a bird nesting santuary this summer. A turtle dove has raised two batches of chicks on a ledge above our barbeque, and a robin has nested in one of our rafters. During the past few summers I've spent oodles of time running out onto the porch screaming like a banshee and waving a broom. The birds were persistent, but I was more persistent.

This year I just didn't feel up to my normal tactics since I'd just had a baby. I decided that I wouldn't wave the broom every single time they landed, I'd just knock down their nests after they made them. Well, apparently I'm not quick enough, because before I knew it the birds had had their nests up there for awhile and I didn't want to knock out the nests if they had eggs in them.

Yesterday we were playing outside when Squeaky came up to me and calmly said, "Mommy, there's a birdie." She ran to show me where it was and sure enough, there was a tiny baby robin lying on the ground. I looked closely and saw that it was breathing. I quickly ushered the kids inside not really knowing what to do but certainly not wanting to disturb the nestling.

My poor heart bled for that little birdie for the rest of the day. I found myself running out periodically to see if it was still breathing. The baby just a had a bit of scraggly fluff on its back and a huge beak. I went out to the store last night and when I came home it was dark out. I got the flashlight out and went to take a look at the bird. Something in me cracked when I saw it still lying helplessly on the ground. Bawling my head off, I ran inside and did what I always do if I have burning questions: I googled "bird fallen from nest, what can I do?" Thousands of websites popped up.

So, Dennis and I embarked on our birdie rescue. First, we spooked the mother bird off her nest. Then he headed out to the garage for the ladder and a fresh flashlight while I stood guard over the baby bird. I carefully picked the bird up and placed it on a piece of cardboard. I formed the cardboard into a funnel. Dennis got up on the ladder and I handed the bird up to him so he could carefully slide it back into its nest. Home sweet home.