Bonnie -

Been there, there now even as we type and
once again swearing that when this baby robin
is on his own, NO MORE! I didn't pick this one
up, it was *rescued* by a couple of women who
were sweeter than they were sensible. But, it's
my baby now, so my unwanted tag of Bird Mama
sticks. I just can't say no to a helpless baby
anything. I do try to repatriate them quickly
before we get attached to each other, or, worse,
it becomes dependent on me for food.

It has learned to swallow, so when it pecks the
food from my hand, out the door it goes. It can fly
VERY well now.

Wrote a song about a clutch of catbirds I raised
last year - a very short song:

Bye, bye birds on the wing;
You were mama's precious things.
Bye, bye birds in the sky;
I heard your tiny voice cry, I can FLY!

giac