Hatchlings
It was really windy the past couple of days so we were unfortunately surprised by a few baby birds that had fallen out of the nest, rolled down our roof, and landed on our patio. I was in the process of burying the 2nd baby bird when the 3rd fell right next to me. It died instantly :( After all this heartbreak I opened up the canopies over the patio, hoping to save more from a fatal fall. It worked!
I was outside enjoying the fresh air while the boys were napping and I heard a thunk on the canopy. I looked up and saw a nestling silouhette, still moving. I gently cohersed him out of the canopy and into a hat and then placed it into a tree so the parents could find him. Two hours later and I hadn't seen any parental action. I told Josh about what happened while I was watching from brennan's window and thunk... another hatchling, still alive. I rushed down to get it out of the canopy and placed it with the other. So now we have 2 newborn baby birds in our tree.
This whole thing is stressing me out. I love animals and I am completely helpless. I read all kinds of information online and 95% of hand fed birds won't survive... or even eat. So, I did what they suggested... can't find the nest? Make one and put it someplace high up that they can find. I find solace in the fact that there's 2 now so they can make more noise and keep each other warm. I admittedly don't hold much hope that these poor babies will survive the night. It makes me sick to my stomach. I'm trying to be happy that they at least have a chance of making it since they didn't hit the concrete.
I put a bunch of bread all around the tree and some in the branches and near the hat, hoping to tempt the parents over so they would find their young. I really don't want to bury 2 more baby birds tomorrow. I cannot see the nest anywhere! When Josh gets home I might venture up onto the roof for a closer look. I'm closely monitoring the situation (from afar), hoping the parents show up. Any other suggestions?
Update: I took the hat out of the tree, placed it in a shoebox, and put it on my patio off of the master bedroom as close to the roof as possible. It's a lot quieter and closer to "home" so I am hoping this will work. I am going to try and leave them alone until tomorrow so as not to scare the parents.
Update #2: Josh climbed up on the roof but could not find the nest. Shortly after yet another baby fell into the canopy. We now have 3 hatchlings and I finally can see where the nests are on the roof. They built them right on the edge, between the terra cotta shingles. There is no way for us to place them back inside. I saw the parents, they saw their baby, they saw where I put him (back in the tree with the others). There are 3 nests that we can see so these may all be from different nests. No luck as of yet. We did what was recommended... what we could. Nature is cruel and I am emotionally drained. I can't feel guilty anymore for not being able to feed 3 birds every hour a food that I have no idea how to get here in Spain... with a success rate of 5% anyway. I have my own 3 babies I need to care for so I am wrapping this up. I doubt these will be the last baby birds we find unfortunately. It's going to be even more fun when they get bigger and try to fly. The parents were so dumb to build nests where they did. Sigh. Damn you Mother Nature! Perhaps tonight we'll have a miracle and the babies will survive and grow in Tristan's little snow hat in the Madrono tree. We can hope!
I was outside enjoying the fresh air while the boys were napping and I heard a thunk on the canopy. I looked up and saw a nestling silouhette, still moving. I gently cohersed him out of the canopy and into a hat and then placed it into a tree so the parents could find him. Two hours later and I hadn't seen any parental action. I told Josh about what happened while I was watching from brennan's window and thunk... another hatchling, still alive. I rushed down to get it out of the canopy and placed it with the other. So now we have 2 newborn baby birds in our tree.
This whole thing is stressing me out. I love animals and I am completely helpless. I read all kinds of information online and 95% of hand fed birds won't survive... or even eat. So, I did what they suggested... can't find the nest? Make one and put it someplace high up that they can find. I find solace in the fact that there's 2 now so they can make more noise and keep each other warm. I admittedly don't hold much hope that these poor babies will survive the night. It makes me sick to my stomach. I'm trying to be happy that they at least have a chance of making it since they didn't hit the concrete.
I put a bunch of bread all around the tree and some in the branches and near the hat, hoping to tempt the parents over so they would find their young. I really don't want to bury 2 more baby birds tomorrow. I cannot see the nest anywhere! When Josh gets home I might venture up onto the roof for a closer look. I'm closely monitoring the situation (from afar), hoping the parents show up. Any other suggestions?
Update: I took the hat out of the tree, placed it in a shoebox, and put it on my patio off of the master bedroom as close to the roof as possible. It's a lot quieter and closer to "home" so I am hoping this will work. I am going to try and leave them alone until tomorrow so as not to scare the parents.
Update #2: Josh climbed up on the roof but could not find the nest. Shortly after yet another baby fell into the canopy. We now have 3 hatchlings and I finally can see where the nests are on the roof. They built them right on the edge, between the terra cotta shingles. There is no way for us to place them back inside. I saw the parents, they saw their baby, they saw where I put him (back in the tree with the others). There are 3 nests that we can see so these may all be from different nests. No luck as of yet. We did what was recommended... what we could. Nature is cruel and I am emotionally drained. I can't feel guilty anymore for not being able to feed 3 birds every hour a food that I have no idea how to get here in Spain... with a success rate of 5% anyway. I have my own 3 babies I need to care for so I am wrapping this up. I doubt these will be the last baby birds we find unfortunately. It's going to be even more fun when they get bigger and try to fly. The parents were so dumb to build nests where they did. Sigh. Damn you Mother Nature! Perhaps tonight we'll have a miracle and the babies will survive and grow in Tristan's little snow hat in the Madrono tree. We can hope!
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