I really do love sparrows!! And I really love and appreciate all that you do to build your nest and attempt to raise your little baby sparrows...
But I certainly don't appreciate how you seem to "let" your babies fall or you "push" your babies out of the nest!!! Not sure if you are "bad" parents, or if "nature is taking it's course" and only "the fittest will survive". And because of your "nest issues", Mr and Mrs Sparrow I had even set a chair under your nest, in case one of your babies fell again!!! Ashley named it the "baby bird slide", and we hoped it would never be used!
So Not kidding... exactly One Year, One Month, One Week to the day of Birdie's death Fall to Life... our little doggie Hanna AGAIN sniffed something on the front porch, calling my attention to yet ANOTHER several days old baby bird that fell out of the nest--- this dysfunctional nest!!! Again, it was late at night, I was tired when I let Hanna out for her final "pee" for the night... and I did not at first notice the little helpless blob on the porch.
But I suddenly and intuitively did a double take, flicked on the porch light... and not kidding... there lay an almost lifeless days old little sparrow AGAIN, who unluckily fell or was pushed out of the nest. The SAME NEST!!! Most likely, same parents!!
Ok, sparrow parents... you are fired as parents! I can't take this anymore... your nest will be coming down, and the opening in the eave of the porch will be sealed. No more babies to fall to their death here, any more!
Sadly, this little one did not enjoy the same fate as Birdie :'/
When I picked this one up, it was much more lifeless than Birdie was when I found her.
This one seemed awfully skinny and it's skin was more of a pale yellow hue, rather than the pink skin Birdie had when I found her that fateful night.
Daja vu! I brought baby #2 inside, warmed it in my hand, created a little nest as I had done with Birdie, and gave it a little moist cat food. It's mouth was open, wanting the food, and made many plaintive chirps...
But I just sensed something wasn't right about this one, and I was cautious about expecting it's survival. I knew I would know the answer in the morning.
I left notes for Scott and Jim, knowing they would be up before me, and would be shocked to hear the little chirps, if it survived the night...
And survive the night it did! But when I got up to feed the poor little thing... it just didn't look well. It was weak and not opening it's mouth for food. My heart broke for this little life, that never really had a chance. My heart broke, knowing I had the skill to save it, but something preceding me, changed it's fate... and this sweet little baby quietly passed on, never to know life, flight, and love...
Retrospectively, I recalled hearing plaintive chirps from the nest 1-2 days before I found baby #2. I was surprised when I had heard little chirps late at night. That didn't seem "normal". I remember thinking... hhhmmm, strange there's what sounds to be a singular baby chirp, and the nest was awfully quiet. I remember I thought how strange it was to hear this in late June, and I hadn't seen many sparrows around the porch during the day recently.
My theory is that Birdie's parents did successfully raise their 2014 clutch, and everyone happily flew off. But there must have been this late-laid egg, that tragically hatched after Mr and Mrs Sparrow flew off, and this little baby was born alone, left alone, and was probably never fed until I found it. And that was too late. My heart hurts thinking I heard the little one up there, but "assumed" mom and dad were caring for baby. I NEVER intentionally interfere with nature. So it never occurred to me to check on the little chirps, as I was certain mom and dad must be caring for it. Now, I wish I had gotten a ladder and checked that day after I heard the plaintive little chirps at an unnatural time of the night...
Sorry Baby #2. Sorry nature did not provide for you this time. Sorry timing was not right with your hatching. Sorry you never had a chance to grow and develop, feel a full craw and belly, fly with the wind, take little bird baths, and flit with your family. My heart breaks for your fate, and the circumstances of your fall I will never know...
This is an online image
NOT of Baby #2
But to give you an idea of his/her size
Fortunately this one is pink and healthy!!!
