Baby bird

[motb]

There is a robins nest in our garden and I have just found a tiny robin that had fallen out of the nest obviously too youg to leave yet so I have popped it back in. Was thsi the right thing to do or will it leave a scent on the bird and frighten awat the mother?

[raysparx1]

Hi motb, you did the right thing, it is a bit of a myth that the mother will abandon it.

Have a read of this link, it will reassure you.

http://www.parrotpassionsuk.com/Advice/Wildbab ybirds.htm

[lindapinda]

Thanks for posting that link Ray ;-) I'ts good to know!

[wildwood]

Would just like to join raysparx1 in assuring you that you did the right thing, and what a great link.

Birds (except the kiwi) have a very poor sense of smell - a lot worse than ours.

[motb]

Thanks. two are out of the nest unfortunately one has died ,the other is hidden on the ground and is being fed by its mother. I quickly checked and its eyes are open although it is just sitting there. Honestly I darent leave the house in case anything happens to it. I think this is the last survivor of about 5 hatchlings, we found the others at a very young age dead on the lawn. Poor little mites have a tough fight to stay alive.
Great link...I think I will just have to keep a watchful eye

[888sally888]

Oh thats sad that the others have died - I would be the same and would probably camp out in the garden!!

Hope that last one is ok.

[alfieblue]

Me too! It's so stressful with the baby birds - I hope the little chick survives. Similar thing happened here a year or so back with a baby bluetit. It had fallen out of the nesting box (the last survivor) def not ready to leave and the parents were flying around quite distressed. So I quickly swooped in and scopped the baby up and popped it back in the box as gently as i could. I was so worried that i had done the wrong thing, but couldn't bear to see the little thing struggling on the ground. Well, I neednt have worried because the parents carried on feeding it and looking after it until it was ready to leave. Phew! What a relief! :o)

[motb]

Nice to see other people care and are watching out for wildlife..where would we be without them? it cheers me up when I hear them singing their hearts out on a sunny morning. For a little bird it sure can eat!!the parents are feeding it none stop....I think I am a stalker ;-)

[LoftyLottie]

Well done motb. It sounds as if all is going well for the youngster. The swallows nesting over my front door are at that awful stage where they are all crowded in and are prone to falling out the nest. They come back to the same place every year (because they know I am a big softy who would rather not use the front door and has to keep cleaning up after them) rather than deter them from nesting on top of the porch light!!

Putting young swallows back into the nest is quite a regulary occurence every year!

[alfieblue]

Hi all again! What lovely messages.

Just quickly tell you about another experience I had re baby birds. (Well it may not be that quick because I do waffle on!).

Years back we had blackbirds nesting very high up in tree. Unfortunately we had a severe storm and gale force winds and yes - you have guessed it - the nest and 3 baby birds were blown out of the tree and I found them by the tree trunk the next morning.

Unfortunately one baby had not survived, but incredibly two had!! So off I trot (Indiana alfieblue Jones!) to get long ladder (I hate heights!) and with the two kids holding the bottom of the ladder I scaled the heights with nest and babies in one hand and clinging on for dear life to the ladder with the other hand and my goodness, that ladder was wobbling!!!

Reached the top and found a good section of cross branches to replace nest. All well you may think - but no theres more! Mum and Dad blackbird were not very happy (i guess they thought i was harming the little chicks) so they started bombarding me -wings flapping, beaks glistening, (I too was glistening at this point at the thought that I may also land in a heap at the bottom of the ladder!!)

After what seemed an eternity, with me ducking and sort of diving, balancing on wobbly ladder (and really wishing that I had put on a hard hat and protective gear at that point!), I eventually secured the nest.

Slid down the ladder (that wasnt intentional - but needs must!) and took cover!

Is there a happy ending? Oh yes! The parent blackbirds settled, started fussing and feeding the babies again - and although sadly one did not make it, the remaining chick did!!

I always like to think that the remaining chick who survived is related to old yellowbeak, our tame, daft, cheeky backbird who has made himself a lifetime home in our garden!

There you are good folks - I said it would be

[alfieblue]

Cont'd .....

a quick message!!! :o) xxx

[LoftyLottie]

Ah Alfie. That's lovely. I too have risked life and limb to put birds back in their nests.

During a thunder storm many years ago a housemartin's nest above our upstairs window got detached and fell to the ground scattering the babies. There was Mr LL up a ladder in torrential rain building a wooden platform above the window and carefully replacing the nest. He put the only survivor back in the new home and the parents came back and reared it successfully.
x

[alfieblue]

Hi LoftyLottie! What a wonderful story with a happy ending too!

Why do we do it? Cos we are all nature lovers and we all reap the rewards big time year after year. Long may it last. :o) xx

[LoftyLottie]

Xerus. I have only put fledgelings back into the nest when they have fallen before they are ready to leave the nest naturally. Although the parent bird will continue to try and look after them they invariably perish when they are this young.

For example, the housemartin's above were barely feathered and unable to even flutter to safety.

[alfieblue]

I agree with LL - the chicks we have put back would surely have perished one way or another if we had not given a little helping hand.

One time tho years ago we had a baby green finch in the garden - dear little thing, chirping for its parents but they never returned.

It had its fluffy feathers (tho a bit sparse) but had been abandoned. It was just managing to hop around a little. To start with we kept a vigil hour after hour to see if the parents were around - but no joy. We thlink possibly that one had met its demise and the other had fled.

To cut a long story short (cos I do go on!), we raised the little mite (called it birdie - very original!!). We released him when the time was right and he would fly off then come back to see us and land on our hands to feed. When his confidence grew he started to feed from the bird feeders, and not from us.

That was the point we knew that he would be able to take care of himself.

Im so pleased we made the effort - he was a cute little guy!:o)

[motb]

latest update on the chick ....there are now two .Another has appeared from behind the ivy! The parents must be exhausted they have been feeding them all day. The bad news on the horizon is two magpies ,I am watching them carefully. It is very drizzly now do you think I should move the babies back under the ivy?

[motb]

You know I work full time but I am having a week off, isnt it funny how life is so busy that you dont notice the little struggles for survival that go on every day in your own back garden. How fragile life is for these little creatures. Think I have learned a lesson.. Slow down,look around and enjoy the simple things around us

[raysparx1]

Hi you could just move them under the ivy, but if the magpies have sensed they are there by now, sorry to say, that they will take them, hope they haven't noticed them yet, but magpies are great at finding and taking the little ones, lets just hope they remain ok,

I do agree with you re: the way we live, my philosophy is, take your time and smell the roses, life is short, death is long, we are here for the twinkling of an eye, then we are dust, enjoy your life and enjoy all that life brings, and nature is the greatest gift we have. Ray xx

[alfieblue]

Oh dear motb - im not sure. Over to LL for this one.

How worrying is this! I dont envy you.

Magpies may be on the case - if you gently move them back behind the ivy, they may venture out a bit again.

What to do? Where are you LoftyLottie?

I do hope the little babies will be ok - please keep us informed. Doubt you will sleep a wink tonight. Will be thinking of you. xx

[alfieblue]

I agree ray and motb. Just don't know what the answer is here. I have got everything crossed (including pups paws) for the baby birds. :o)