[Mom of 2 Beagles]

I have saved 3 baby birds and a turtle (twice), unless there were 2 turtles. A Mockingbird made a nest in an oak tree in our back yard. She laid eggs in it and the babies hatched. The Mom and Dad Mockingbird have been driving us crazying screaming at us and dive bombing us everytime we go in the back yard. The birds will dive bomb and peck Sadie and Pooh on the rear end. We have been through this before. So I have been watchful for the baby birds to hop down and begin hopping around the yard trying out their wings. I have tried in the past putting the babies back in the nest repeatedly when they hop down, but they just hop back down on the ground again. So this time I caught the baby bird (just in time, saved the babies from our 2 Beagles) and took them to the front yard. I called a wildlike preservation and they said that the Mom bird would find her babies in the front yard and take care of them. I hope they will be ok. At least I know our doggies didn't get them.

The small turtle I saved is about 4 inches long. I put him in the front flowerbed a few days ago. This morning I found him in the back yard again or maybe it was another one? I am thinking of taking him down the road to the duck pond. Anyone know if the turtle would like that?What do little turtles like this like to eat? Lettuce?

Also found a big bull frog swimming in the pool this morning. Too much wildlife for me!!!

 

[Gingergoose]

Box turtles have a 100 yard radius of territory. The rule of thumb is that they must stay in their known territory in order to survive and perpetuate the species. Box turtle populations are declining. If you move the turtle to a duck pond, chances are he will not do well. A big study called the McKeever Study was done on this subject and can be googled up.

Once baby birds leave the nest, they are not going to stay in the nest if put back. They will be on the ground, under the care of their parents learning to feed themselves, practicing flight and identifying predators. They will only be on the ground for several days until they are able to get out under the parents guidance. It is at this stage where so many baby birds are lost to predators because they can't get away.

 

[Mom of 2 Beagles]

Thanks Gingergoose. I put little Mr. Turtle back into the front yard so we shall shee how he does.

I've seen the baby birds a few times still hopping and flapping around the front yard and the neighbors yard. The parent Mocking birds are out there. The white cat from across the street was in the next door flower bed. The parent Mockingbird screached at the cat and swoopped down on the cat several times until white cat ran back to her house across the street. Ha ha cat!!

So once the baby birds leave the next, how many days do they hop around and try their wings out until they can fly?