Tough Love

Baby Robin

So, this morning, after my run I found a baby robin sitting alone, in the open, squawking for food. As soon as it saw me, the mouth went wide open and the squawks of hunger increased in volume. What to do? I couldn't see a nest in the tree it was under and I couldn't leave it exposed; that would be cruel. So I put it in a shoebox and called two wildlife sanctuaries. Both said, "Put it back where you found it and it will be fine. The mother knows it is missing a baby and will find it." So it was put back. (I must say here that I did not lay one human finger on the bird...no contact...so the mother should not reject it.) Anyway, that scrawny, undernourished little robin has made its way from under the shrub next door, across the lawn of my next door  neighbor, down in back of the house and is now behind my deck...still squawking its fool head off!! I don't know how it managed this. It can sort of spread its wings, which are not fully feathered, but cannot fly. Its legs still can't support it long enough to walk, it keeps falling over. And, above all, I don't believe its little tummy has had one morsel of food all day! I feel so heartless. But the 'experts' tell me this is best. One said they are little beggars always looking for a handout, but they have to do this to learn to survive in nature. I hope they know what they are talking about because I feel like a louse leaving it to the creatures of the night. I see some really bad dreams in my future