Success story

Just proof that things CAN go well when Mercury is retrograde -- with a little extra help.

A while ago, a robin started building her nest on the arm of a downspout, right beneath the eaves of my house. As the nest took form, I thought that it was a precarious place for a nest, and that if she laid eggs, the nest would soon tip over from the added weight.

Still, I've had other robins build nests that never were used for egg-laying, so decided let nature do whatever it needed to do.

Because the nest was above eye level, I didn't know if there had been eggs laid. But, about 10 days ago, one of my dogs suddenly became very interested in the ground beneath that downspout. I went over to see, and sure enough, the nest was on the ground. I thought, oh, too bad, and picked it up. And THEN saw two tiny baby birds, just bones and skin, on the ground.

Of course, my first need was to get the dogs away (who, by this time, were VERY interested in what was on the ground), so dragged them unwillingly into the house. I grabbed a pair of gloves (having read somewhere not to touch baby birds with your hands -- although have since read that's not such a big deal) and went back outside.

I found a small bucket, loaded it nearly to the top with rocks to keep it stable, then put the nest on top of that. Then, ever so gently and ever so nervously, I picked up each of the tiny birds and put them into the nest. One started "gaping" right away (open mouth, waiting to be fed), but the other was very lethargic and unresponsive.

I put the nest-bucket up on top of the electrical box on the outside of the house, which serendipitously was just about two feet beneath the downspout. And then went into the house to call someone who would know more than I do about what to do next.

Thanks heavens for PAWS. I found their bird rescue line, and called. Had to leave a message, but in the meantime, read online that I should be watching the nest (from a distance) to see if the mama robin returned. About 10 minutes later, as I was positioned outside in my sentry post, the woman from PAWS called back. She asked a lot of questions, gave me some good support for what I was doing, and we arranged that if the mama robin hadn't come back to the nest in another hour, I should bring the nest and its two little ones to the bird rescue place.

Back to my sentry post. Within about 20 minutes, I saw mama robin hopping around on the ground, a ways away from the nest. Would she find the new nest? Was there too much disturbance?

She hopped over closer to the nest, then hopped around on the ground where the fallen nest had been. Had she already been there after the babies had fallen? Was she looking for them? I found myself whispering out loud, "Look up, mama, look up!"

Within a few more seconds, she flew up to the downspout where the nest had originally been. "Look down, mama, look down!"

And then, she flew down to the nest. I was so excited, I called the PAWS woman back and told her the news. They were pleased to hear that all was going well.

For several days, I didn't know if both babies had made it. The one had been so lethargic, I wasn't sure if it had been injured in the fall. But last Tuesday, as I was watching the nest, the mama flew in with some food and TWO beaks poked up out of the nest to be fed. I can't tell you how good it felt to see those two little yellow beaks.

And this morning when I went out (dogs on leash, just in case), there was just one baby left in the nest. Flight day has arrived.

A few minutes ago, as I was rounding another corner of the house, I startled the baby who had already left the nest, from its perch in the lower branches of a cedar. The young bird flew briefly, and I quickly went away so as not cause any more fright.

By later today, both birds should be out of the nest and well on their way to taking care of themselves in the world. What a miracle.

Thanks for letting me share! Now, off to write today's Journal...