the baby birds!!!!

Remember my Did it List for August 4th? It included saving baby birds. Well, here is the long ridiculous story of how I/we saved two baby birds' lives.

Wednesday, I decided I needed to go to Wal-Mart to look for yarn. (my current thank-you gift is wash cloth/dishtowels and a bar of goat's milk soap from a local farm). So, I'm always on the look out for the yarn I use being on sale. So, I take Son into his room to change his diaper and get him dressed.

The cat was on the floor which wasn't really abnormal, but she really doesn't lay that close to the fireplace so that was kind of weird. AND the birds were chirping REALLY loud. For the second year in a row there is a nest in the top if this chimney. And sometimes their chirps echo down the chimney louder than others.

OK, stop.

Just to give you a better idea of what I'd about to describe:

This is what the fireplace looks like (actually this is Daughter's. Son was asleep in his room when it came time to take this picture so I took a picture of hers instead. It's exactly the same just on the other side of the wall.)

It's a coal fireplace that we have NEVER used. We've never even taken the cover off. the middle comes out (somehow) and I have just discovered that the bottom also slides open). There is a fireplace on each side of the wall and it shares one chimney.

So, my back is facing the fireplace, changing Son. Gracie is laying on the hearth. The birds are going crazy.

I start to panic a little. They sound so close. They HAVE to have fallen out of the nest and into the fireplace. I call Husband. In a panic.

How can I get these birds out of the fireplace and back to their mom? oh man.

THEN I realize ... The bird isn't in the fireplace. It is IN SON'S ROOM. About two feet away from the cat!! The best I can figure, the cat pried the grate open (because I can't imagine that the birds did it).

PANIC.

Then I realize the bird chirping was in surround sound. That's right, there were TWO BIRDS in SON'S ROOM!!

I call Husband again. Ask him to find a place that we can take the birds (because climbing on our slick metal roof up to the chimney to put the birds back in the nest was just not an option).

I'm getting the kids dressed and mentally preparing myself for having to pick these birds up for transport.

Daughter could definitely tell I was anxious and said, "don't worry, Mommy. I take care of baby birds. I know." She obviously heard me telling Husband that I didn't know how to take care of baby birds. My precious daughter. What a sweet loving spirit.

Husband calls back. We can take them to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Oak Mountain State Park about an hour away.

Now comes the fun part. I find a box with a lid. Stick an old towel in. Put on two pairs of gloves and DID IT.

Well, the first one was like, "oh Thanks. I appreciate you picking me up. Where are we going?"

The second one was like, "I don't know you. STRANGER DANGER. STOP!!!!" tiny wings flapping. claws dung into the hard wood floor. screeching. That one was high drama. I'm glad he was the second one or I would have lost my nerve.

On the drive any time the birds chirped, Daughter chirped back. She told me they were talking to her.

We stopped in downtown to pick up Husband. I don't think I calmed down until we handed the box over to more capable hands. (Then we toured the facility.) When we registered the birds they gave us ID numbers and a card to mail back so they could update us when the birds were released. I thought that was cool.

SO. Here are the birds.

This is the nice one who let me pick him up effortlessly. bat-like, huh?

both of them during the drive.

stranger danger bird

calm bird.

Their new temporary home

sigh. I'm so glad it turned out like it did. What if the kids found the birds first? What if the cat stopped being a watcher and started participating? (sigh)