Fledgling Rescues

Two unexpected fledgling rescues today.

Firstly, returning from the back garden into our utility room (West Wing South), I suddenly noticed a quick fluttering high up. Oh dear, a bird had flown in. Out with the step ladder to look on top of the wall unit at the back, and perched on a box, and in front of another (old green shoe) box was a just fledged young dunnock. It sat immobile. I made sure the door was wide open, took a few quick shots, and then slowly lifted the box. That alarmed the little thing, and it flew in the right direction - out through the door. Hopefully to find its parents.

Message to self - I must sort out the contents of those boxes.

Then this afternoon, I had a look around the side of the house to see how the house martins were doing. Interesting. Two heads were looking out of the nest, but there seemed to be up to five birds flying around. Maybe the two adults and recently fledged young practicing their flying skills ? Just as I was pondering this, the flyers all took turns flying up to the nest and saying hello to the youngsters. Except to my surprise one of them seemed to lose its sense of spatial awareness (I’ve been following the gymnastics at the olympics) and tumbled to the ground. That’s the extra. What to do, it sat immobile. These are aerial birds, it was facing the wall, it’s muscles need to grow stronger, and martins need air space to fly - it’s too narrow a corridor at the side of the house. So I gently picked it up and gently threw it into the air. And off it flew, over the shed. Phew !

Message to self. I need to clean up the area under the nest tomorrow.