A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 HELP NEEDED - ASAP

I was out working in the yard and when I went to get some more compost I noticed someone had put a snall pile of dried grass in the bin that's processing. I scooped it up and put it in the new bin and when I did I noticed there were three baby birds and they were fluttering around, as well as the nest. I had inadvertently scooped up the baby birds and their nest with the dried grass. I had rubber gloves on so I picked them up and put them back in the nest that was laying there, but they kept getting out. So I picked up the nest and put it back in the other bin where it had been, placed the babies in it and put the dried grass back on top of them and then they stayed in the nest. I don't know what kind they are but they were kinda active and starting to develop feathers, so they are not newborns. I know they weren't there four or five days ago and I am just heartsick about this! How will I know if their mother is coming back and taking care of them?

I think since you put them back where you found them, they'll be OK.
You will probably see the mommy bird soon...and can see if she is taking care of them.

I think they will be OK too. Just keep your eye om the nest.

Thank you for your quick response and support! I've been a basket case here waiting for a response and even though this only happened about 90 minutes ago, it seems like hours. I finally called the emergency animal hospital and they referred me to the tree House which handles birds of prey and some wild animals in situations like this. They were really very understanding and told me they thought the babies would be okay too.

Patti, what a shock that must have been, for you to discover that you had grabbed on to a nest with baby birds in it! My mom told us, when we were little, that if you touch a baby bird (or its nest) the Mama bird won't go back & take care of them, because they'll smell like people! I've been told since then, that it's not true... (but it's sure a good way to keep kids from messing around with nests & baby birds when they find them!)

I hope the Mommy will come back to them! Be sure to let us know!

Momma bird wont reject her babies if you touch them. It is a myth. But you are right. It's a good story to make kids behave.
A man from a shop down the road from me found a fledgling and wanted to put it back in its nest. A lady outside my store said "its just going to die anyway" {like she was some big know it all authority }. I told her that wasnt true, her friend told her I'd be the one who knows, its my business after all. So her reply was " well I don't know birds I know puppies" So why was she spreading her ignorance then??
Sorry pet peeve of mine, when someone emphatically states myth as a fact.

Wrennie, dragons and gryphons DO exist!!!


EASTERN RUFOUS_SIDED GRYPHON

Thornius!

Isn't the Eastern Rufous_Sided Gryphon related to the Jackalope ? :rolleyes:

I know what you mean, Wrennie. It irritates me when people say that if you cut a worm in half, it will regenerate... & make TWO worms! It took some convincing, to assure my Grandkids that it was NOT true... (How can a worm turn into two worms, when it only has ONE heart?)

Thornius, I think we've hijacked Patti's topic here! (Sorry, Patti... but we have to chat about something while we're sitting here waiting for news about Mommy bird!)

And don't ya' love it when someone says they got a goldfish from a fair and it got so big it turned into a carp. Hulloooo, different species!

Patti
Any momma bird sightings?

Thorny
LOL!!!!!

No, Patty, Gryphons and Jackalopes are two totally UNRELATED species. Gryphons are related to both eagles and lions. Jackalopes are related to Jack Rabbits and either Pronghorn Antelopes (Which are NOT antelopes but members of the goat family) or else Deer. Gryphons comes in several subspecies. The Eastern Rufous-Sided Gryphon is one of the wingless sub species, but many species of Gryphons not only have Eagles' heads but also Eagles' wings, too. The winged Gryphons are the ones USUALLY referred to in literature or artistic depictions.

(BTW, the Jackalope pictured in my previous post is, in fact, related to a White tail deer.)

Patti must be waiting for something more definite, before she posts anything about the baby birds. To update you all on the latest I've heard about them; I talked to her yesterday morning, & she told me that she peeked in on them & they seemed to be fine. She said that they were napping & seemed to be comfortable, & while she was there she noticed a stirring & chittering in the tree above the compost bin... assuming it may have been mommy bird. She can't keep a steady eye on it, because the compost bins are around the back of her house, behind a big Pine tree, but she is checking them every few hours.

GOOD NEWS!!! I kept in touch with the lady from tree House and was asking how they could be in the compost bin and so fully developed within a few days. Evidently, they had a nest in my big pine tree that hangs over the compost bins and she felt the terrible storm, we had a night or two before I found them, knocked the nest out of the tree and into the bin. Then mommy must have covered them up with the dried grass to conceal them!

YAY! I a happy ending!

That is so neat that they fell into a safe place.

...or should I say that "God placed them in a safe place"!

Couldn't be in better hands.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="COMIC SANS MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="3" face="COMIC SANS MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> I

Bird babies can be pretty tough. My friend told me that her basset hound came into the house with what she thought was part of a chewie toy. She went straight to her coop and laid down. My friend went over to give her a cookie and she heard this chirping noise. There between the dog's front paws was a baby sparrow, no bigger that a golf ball. The basset was very protective. My friend scooped it up and put it into a box while she decided what to do. The baby was chirping up a storm and pretty soon adults were dive bombing the screen windows!! She took the baby outside and set it down and the adults took over!!

Oh, that is such a cute story! Thanks so much for sharing it!