The Great Baby Bird Rescue!

The day after we came back from the Family Honeymoon, we found three baby birds on the ground next to our neighbor's tree.  After we all freaked out a bit about what to do, we (now, when I say we, I actually mean the Hubby under my "supervision") put them in a t-shirt lined box.  I did some googling and found out that if we tried to take care of them ourselves, they'd only have a 5% chance of survival.  I did not like those odds.  So we hatched a plan to get them back in the tree.

Their original nest was destroyed, so we took an old nest that we found on a bush we just trimmed.  It was too small, so we placed it in this Easter basket, broke it up a bit so they'd all fit, then wire tied it to the tree.  This pic is from a few days later.  It's amazing how they went from small and scrawny to almost full sized so quickly.

Here's a pic I caught of them being fed.  We were worried they're parents wouldn't come back.  Apparently it's a myth that they won't come back to their babies if humans touch them. Birds don't have a great sense of smell, so don't be scared to don some gloves in put them in their nest if need be.

Maybe three days later, we noticed only two birds in the nest.

This one was on the ground now, bigger and healthier looking and not interested in being picked up.  I read that birds will spend 7-10 days on the ground when its learning to fly.

 

Here's a video from the cell phone of the bird trying to fly.

It took about two days, but eventually he took off.  One of his siblings flew away too; we never even saw him on the ground.  Unfortunately, the third one that the Hubby was calling the Runt, didn't make it.  We're going to bury him tomorrow.  I know I'm crazy.  What an adventure. 

We also have love birds in my pear tree who've been sitting on a nest.  I hope all their babies manage to stay put.  Lesson to be learned...always check the ground before you mow and look where you're walking.