topic Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016 in Among Friends

Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 18:36:09 GMT

Hello friends and visitors and Welcome to the Nest

Now that August is here, it appears breeding season is slowing down in my back yard. I have a yard full of juvenilles who will be starting their own families next spring.

Among the trees is a bird's nest,

and in the nest her three eggs rest,

and in each egg, Hush, you'll be heard!

There lies asleep A tiny bird.

Written by H.N. Bialik

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

jlkz — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 18:57:10 GMT

@Bird mama

Question for you: what is causing this baby goldfinch at our mountain place to keep tapping on the high window and fluttering up and down, then starting the routine over and over. It then went to the other side of the room and did the same thing on the upper Windows there.

Th afternoon sun was on the other side of the house. No AM sun today.

DH said he kept it up for over two hours yesterday. This early AM I saw it start again but for only a few minutes. Maybe the oncoming rain made it fly away.

at a loss to figure out how to help the creature.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

MalteseMomma — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 18:59:37 GMT

He probably thinks it it his mom.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

KingstonsMom — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:04:13 GMT

Hi @Bird mama!

I thought of you earlier today as I watched my bluebird house for the 5 new babies to fledge!

It should be in the next few days, making 10 babies this year!

But in the 15 years we've had our bluebird boxes, I can never manage to see them fledge and I'm up at 5AM!

They're sneaky little boogers! LOL!

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:09:39 GMT

@jlkz

If the bird sees it's reflection it could be confused and think it's another goldfinch. Do you see any other goldfinches around?

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:11:12 GMT

@KingstonsMom

So far I was lucky to see a couple of the sparrows fledge. 5 born (2 clutches) 5 fledged successfully. I'd swear they wait until I turn my back. They can be hanging on the edge of the doorway of the house and I turn to throw something in the garbage can and they take a flying leap and I miss it.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:20:27 GMT

So, here's my outdoor bird excitement this week. As we all know, my house acts like a rehab (long term care), bed and breakfast (just need a couple of days) and hospice (even when they are ready to cross over they find me).

Well, yesterday afternoon I see a remarkable male sparrow in trouble. No seizures or twirling, just a male sparrow, wings fluffed up (in the heat) and the last bird on the patio when others fly away (never a good sign).

I made a couple of attempts to get him and he evaded me. I thought about just leaving him out there - he was eating, but he seemed to be having trouble eliminating and was not drinking water.

So I'm standing at the kitchen window and have to look past the St. Francis on the windowsill (was my Ma's). I ask Francis, so, dude, why drop the bird on my patio and then make it hard for me to catch him?

I grabbed a large lingerie bag and waited until dusk. Every other bird had gone to roost for the night. I was in and out of shrubs, lol, but I got the bird. I had an incubator set up for him in the house already. I took him to the bathroom, and used a moist q-tip (lukewarm water) to clean his little butt. I then gave him water via glass medicine dropper and set him up in the basket on the heating pad.

He made a shtoopie, which made me happy and seemed to be comfy. Gave him some more water, then settled him down for the night.

He was alive when I awoke this morning and seemed peppier than yesterday, but still not like a healthy bird. I gave him some water, he had eaten some seed in the habitat and I said, you want to spend the day with your 'people'? He's been outside since this morning. I was home early (1/2 day) and have been watching him. I've seen this enough times to know that bird is on his way out. As it stands, he seems to be enjoying the fellowship of the other sparrows.

I'll bring him in tonight and bed him down inside.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

jlkz — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:20:33 GMT

@Bird mama

No, this is the only finch I've seen here so far this summer.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:22:56 GMT

@jlkz

Well, I don't know how far from family that a young goldfinch will travel. I would assume a young goldfinch wouldn't be that far from the nest or hatching spot. I wonder if the poor thing is lost.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

gramygram — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:38:18 GMT

@Bird mama you made me smile

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 20:01:55 GMT

So, me and the outside sparrow might have just bonded. I tried a couple of times to get him to give him water. I noticed him sitting on the edge of the stainless steel bowl I used for the squirrel's water. I walked out, he evaded me again and then I picked him up.

I said, okay, let's check the butt and I have water for you. I sat on the stoop and said, you want a drink? He was taking the water from the medicine dropper. He sat in my hand and I said, see if I was trying to kill you, you'd be dead already. He drank some more and then I set him down on the patio and said, g'head. You're not coming inside until tonight.

He lopsided hopped a little and sat in the grass watching me pick up twigs and walnuts. When I got near him I didn't so much as bend down. I said, are we cool? He just looked at me and I said, stay in the shade, it's hot out here :-)

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 20:41:52 GMT

The bird of the day is the White Browed Babbler

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

possummink — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 20:51:42 GMT

Hi Birding Friends, This is kind of a special, maybe 'traumatic' month for me, but then most of them could be labeled that I guess.

Our Wedding anniversary, the 5th, middle GS birthday, 6th, Mom's birthday, 20th, Father in law's birthday 25ht, plus other thingys too. My FIL was one of the kindest, gentlest men I ever knew. It 'rubbed off' on his son.

Bernie, Good luck with your new little feathered friend. Hope he can pull out of whatever's wrong. They sure do know how to find you. If I was a bird, I'd like you to be my 'mom'. I know I've said that before and I haven't changed my mind.

I hope the little Goldfinch is ok, Kind of strange behaviour.

Have a lovely rest of your Monday, and stay cool.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

mousiegirl — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 01:09:55 GMT

@jlkz wrote:
@Bird mama

Question for you: what is causing this baby goldfinch at our mountain place to keep tapping on the high window and fluttering up and down, then starting the routine over and over. It then went to the other side of the room and did the same thing on the upper Windows there.

Th afternoon sun was on the other side of the house. No AM sun today.

DH said he kept it up for over two hours yesterday. This early AM I saw it start again but for only a few minutes. Maybe the oncoming rain made it fly away.

at a loss to figure out how to help the creature.

@jlkz I experienced a similar situation years ago. DD was little and at the computer in the family room. She told me about a bird at the window so I looked. It was acting the same way you describe. I told her not to let the bird inside, as she had mentioned that.

I came back into the room a bit later, and guess what, she let the bird in, lol, funny now, but not then. I sent her to bed, time anyway, because she disobeyed me. I spent the next half hour trying to get the bird out the slider.

I had several bird nests in little baskets, that I had collected from the ground in my yard, and the bird landed in one of those. I was chasing it around the room until I thought one of us would have a heart attack. Finally, it dawned on me to turn off the lights in the family room, and turn the light on over the front deck outside the sliding glass door of the family room. Bingo! Out if flew, and out of breath, I quickly closed the slider.

That was not the only time a bird got in, several other incidents, and don't know how they got in. One spent the night flying between the dining room and living room, as I couldn't get it out, but next day, it did fly out.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

spix — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 21:26:52 GMT

Oh @Bird mama they do find you don't they? They probably have a "chirp" code giving directions lol You are a saint.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

mousiegirl — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 01:56:01 GMT

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Sister Golden Hair — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 05:18:46 GMT

We have these beautiful eagles in our area. One flew over our house today while I was sitting outside.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:12:14 GMT

@Sister Golden Hair

I've never seen an eagle in real life. You're lucky :-)

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Winifred — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 13:54:15 GMT

I have seen eagles several times in my life but not in recent years. I have lived a lot of places due to my Dad being career Army and have seen a lot of wondrous Mother Nature critters. Not much left out here in Sou Cal where once there were all kinds. I just wish they would stop taking our beautiful country side for those BIG ugly cement looking things with NO YARDS and making houses out of them. So ugly and horrible. The hills should be left as the man upstairs created them.

Feeders are once again empty and even with the decline in bird life here those feeders still get used. Have not seen a crow in about a month however, that is very strange.

Hope one and all have a very good day.

Re: Bird's Nest for August 2016

Bird mama — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 14:54:13 GMT

I am so glad that 'Handsome' the male sparrow from outside, had a good day yesterday and that I was able to be home in the afternoon to watch him interact with his fellow sparrows.

I don't know if this happens with other types of birds and I just see it more because my yard is full of primarily sparrows - over the past two days, whenever the main flock of sparrows would fly away quickly because of sudden movement or a noise, about 4 sparrows would immediately return to sit with Handsome. Two looked juvenile and two were other male sparrows. It's like they knew he was failing and didn't want to leave him alone.

Maybe that's why sparrows are my favorite and their behavior humbles me every time. If only humans could be more like sparrows, sigh.

I brought Handsome in last night and set him up in the hospital basket. He settled in a was comfy and restful. This morning, he didn't feel like eating and when I offered some water, he wasn't really digging it. I took him to the patio and said, so Handsome, want another day with your peeps? He sat on the patio then hopped over near the garage door off the patio and snuggled into a corner.

I walked over and said, okay Handsome, you're getting ready aren't you. Well, let's go back inside and get snuggled in to a nice towel. I put him back in the hospital basket (actually a laundry basket) and arranged the towel so he was bolstered a little on each side.

If ever there was a day I wished I didn't need to come to work, today was it. He was comfy and relaxed and his breathing was not labored, but it was getting shallow. I told him that he was beautiful and that I was honored that he visited my yard and sang such pretty songs. I told him that it was an honor having him as a guest in my home.

Suffice it to say, I was crying when I left the house. I think he felt safe and I know he was in a clean and warm environment. I suspect he will be over the rainbow bridge by the time I get home from work.

You know, I'm going to start praying now that when my time comes, God lets me go to heaven by way of the rainbow bridge. I'll see the people eventually, I would like to be welcomed by all of the cats and dogs and birds that shared parts of my life.