You know how as a parents sometimes you just smile and nod and say “Sure sweetie”? These certianly aren’t our more stellar parenting moments, but when you’re home with kids 24/7 it happens. There are just certain instances when this has more consequences…
For example, the other day when two of Baby’s therapists were finishing up their visit, in walks Anna, just like this.
Since it’s hard to tell in the photo, I’ll tell you. That’s a baby barn swallow in her hand. Which would be interesting enough as a parent, except for one small thing.
For the past four weeks that background chatter, the constant flow of conversation as been, “Can I please try and catch a bird? Princesses can catch birds.”
The conversation typically continues something like “Maybe someday we’ll get a pet bird.”
“But if I catch one can we put it in that bird cage?” (points to Hobby Lobby decorative bird cage)
“Um, not really.”
“But can we get a bird cage?”
“Sure.”
“Can I pray to catch a bird?”
“Okay.”
“Yay! I’m going outside right now to get one!”
“Uh, huh.”
Never. Ever. Did I expect to see her walk in with a real, live, baby bird. And, I should add, neither did the therapists. Holding it bird out with both hands she exclaims, “All of my dreams have come true!”
Prayer is powerful stuff.
She and Brett were playing in the shed on Daddy’s old Chevy when she found this baby bird on the ground. When I went back outside with her I found half a nest on the roof of the pick-up that had evidently fallen out of the rafters, another fledgling still inside.
We took lots of pictures and then a broken hearted Anna left both birds in the nest, certain I was thwarting God’s ultimate plan for the universe and denying her her royal birth-right.
There’s little hope for the poor things; I didn’t see any sign of the parents all morning and there are too many predators around here for birds to survive on a truck. But leaving them there is probably their best bet.
And Anna is praying for them.
Daddy's Tractor 
Those little birds actually look like they may be ready to move out f the nest anyway. They look fully feathered. Its possible that Birdie was on her first solo flight when your princess found her. She just needs to take a few more practice flights and she will be ready to fly free!
My mom and I have raised several. Their best chance is to be raised by their parents but in cases where the parents have been killed or chased off or the baby bird abandoned due to malformation (we had one with a deformed skill and only one eye, momma birds kick babies like that out of the nest) then they have no chance of surviving on their own. Technically you are supposed to take any abandoned or injured wildlife to a certified wildlife rehabilitator who has been trained.
We had a similar circumstance with baby woodpeckers whose nest fell to the ground in a rotted tree that had to be taken down. My nephews and niece fed them and kept them warm only to learn that their best chance for survival is with their own kind. We don’t know for sure what happened to them, but predators are likely (they live in the woods in rural Oregon)
Precious Anna. Just like Cinderella, except prettier.