Catrose....... Thank you for this post. I agree that getting the training and making informed decisions is the most important thing any animal lover can do to enable them to rescue animals safely. If they choose to take the risks, that's fine, but having information allows them to make the choice about what level of risk they are willing to take. Smiles, Lyn PS .. thanks for the reminder about getting my tetanus shots renewed, it's about time.

I haven't seen a parent on the nest in the last 2 or 3 days, but it may be that the parents are being extra careful not to reveal the location of the nest. Yesterday I was watching the tree from about 40-50 feet away, and I saw a mourning dove sitting at the top of my neighbor's roof not far from the nest. After about 10 minutes, I thought maybe the dove was waiting for me to go away. So I walked around the far side of my house, and from my back deck, I could see that same place on my neighbor's roof -- and no dove. I got down off the deck and started walking toward the nest on the near side, and I heard that flying-up sound that mourning doves make, from the direction of the nest. And this morning I saw a pair of mourning doves loitering in my driveway in front of the garage, about 35 feet from the nest. That's as close as I have been able to confirm that the parents are still visiting the nest. I would like better assurance, since mourning doves are commonly in the area to visit under my bird feeders. I cringe to think that they are abandoned, cold, hungry, and dehydrated. But I also hestitate to interfere. - Jim

Oh my gosh Fin is adorable. Poor little guy was in sad shape. What a blessing that you found each other! You truly are his savior. Fema insurance sent us a decent check but the mortgage company took it and has not given us a dime so we are going to be in big trouble really soon if we don't get the money to pay our workers. I haven't ordered cabinets or countertops yet. Not a fun way to get new stuff.

Exact same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago. We have 2 feeders. Standard pole feeders. No one was home except me and the dog. Get all kinds of birds from mourning doves (who mostly feed off the ground from what get dropped from above) to smaller sparrows and that type. I was out with the dog and not really facing the feeders. But out of the side of my eye I could see a lot of commotion at one of the feeders. Normally the birds take off when I'm out with the dog because he's a hyper little Yorkie who spooks them. Anyway, I walked over to the feeder and saw a smallish sparrow or wren with it's head caught inside the feeder. One of his wings was wedged inside with his head. I have to admit I panicked. It was super hot that morning and all I'm thinking is of that poor thing literally baking in there if I didn't do something fast. I took the feeder off the pole and brought it over to table on the patio. I could see there was no way to pull him out but it seemed that I could push him in gently. He screamed and flapped his one still moveable wing just once when I touched and then went still. I'm thinking it's now or never..managed to force him all the way into the feeder. He starts frantically flapping but intact and standing. I'm thinking that's a good sign so I scooped him gently out with my hands and put him on the ground. He took off like a rocket flying. I was never so relieved as when he did. It never occurred to me to run into my husband's workshop for a screwdriver or something to take the feeder apart. Just wanted that bird out pronto. I googled after to see if this was a common problem and did note like someone mentioned here, it's more likely to happen when the feeder is empty or low.