Wildlife in the suburbs

We've been blessed with two swallow's nests on our front porch this year. The kids and I love watching the nesting process throughout the spring and summer. The first nest was occupied by a swallow family who seemed to have it all together. They built the nest, mama laid the eggs, the babies hatched, got fed and fat, learned to fly, and moved on.

The second family has had more trouble. Their first attempt at nest-building was a flop. When the nest was about half done, it fell off the wall and hit the concrete porch below. But they persevered, built a stronger (and better-attached) nest, and mama laid eggs and patiently sat on them. We (not so patiently) waited for the babies to hatch. One afternoon, I found an tiny egg that had fallen out of the nest and broken when it hit the porch. A few days later, mama stopped sitting on the nest all the time and we saw one little baby bird sticking his head over the side to be fed. I found him covered in ants on the front porch just a couple of days later, long before he had time to build up enough strength and bulk to fly. We thought that was the end of the road for that nest this year, so we were very surprised when another baby bird started chirping up there last week. We kept a close eye on him, pulling for this little guy to make it. Every day he would be perched closer and closer to the edge of the nest, and I was sure he was going to fall out. Dijar joked about putting up a net under the nest to catch him so he wouldn't meet the same fate as his siblings.

Then yesterday when I was leaving for Krav Maga, a movement in the yard caught my eye. That baby bird was fluttering around on the grass trying to fly, but he wasn't getting anywhere. Mama and Daddy bird were swooping around nearby, keeping an eye on him. We've got at least two neighborhood cats who like to hang out in our yard, so it is definitely not a safe place for a baby bird to play. I left the rescue mission to D and EEN. They did a little internet research and ended up taking some photos and then putting baby in a tree in our yard, where he's been since last night. His parents come by and feed him every little while and he seems to be doing well. Our own little mama bird Ella keeps running to the window to check on him.

Here's baby bird post-rescue.

Egan and baby on the porch.

Showing mama where her baby was going.

Doing just fine this morning.