Baby Birds

Nick woke me up yesterday and said I had to come outside. Turns out Julie found a baby bird in my garden! Such a tiny little thing with a lot of down. At first we put him in an empty planter to hang up up high away from the cats. (Julie just seems to want to play, not hurt. The cats would kill it.)

Okay, so we leave it thinking Mama bird would come. She didn't. In fact, I hardly saw any adult birds around it all day. 

So, before he goes to work, Nick comes back inside and says there is another bird! That's a first for me. I've never seen two fledglings at one time. This second one had more blue feather showing and seemed stronger.

Long story short, I spent half the day making sure nothing got at them. In the evening I put them both on the same tree branch, hoping they would keep each other warm through the  night. They were both fine this morning, but still on the branch. I  think they were warming up. The stronger one hopped to the ground and Julie started chasing it. I carried Julie into the house (bad for my knee and back, I know) and when I checked later Strong Bird was gone. I hope it finally flew away. Little bird was still in the tree last I looked. I think he's a runt. I wish his damned parents would come for him but they seem to be AWOL. 

One bird last night, before I put his nestmate with him. Of course my camera died before I could get a shot of the two of them.