Little Mocking Bird

Yesterday I kept hearing our little beagle bark.  I knew she had something bayed.  She is such a little squirrel dog that I thought she has somehow caught a squirrel.  I mentioned it to my husband and he just kinda brushed it off.  He hasn't been around dogs as much as I have so he just didn't quiet understand. 

After turning out the horses and opening and closing gates, I finally remember that I needed to go check on her and she what she had bayed.  I start walking out into our pasture and I see a clump on the ground.  The first thing I thought before I saw the clump was that she has a snake.  Then when I saw the clump, I thought hmmm....maybe it is a rat.  I walked closer and then I could see that it was a baby mocking bird.  I reached down and picked it up and it was still warm and alive.  Dirt was all over the poor little thing.  Proudly, I trotted across the pasture to show my husband.  He was pretty amazed at the fact that Molly (the beagle) had actually bayed it and not injured it or worse yet, killed it.  I told him that I would do my best to save it but the chance of the bird living was about 50%. 

I found a box, lined it with paper towels, put the little bird in the box.  I dusted off as much dirt as I could without hurting the bird, covered the box with a towel and went to mix something to feed the bird.  I soaked dog food in a little cup and when the dog food was soft I got a pair of tweezers to feed the bird with.  The baby bird just sat with it's little beak open and gobbled up what I offered.  I feed him about once an hour and I thought that if he keeps eating that he will make it. 

This morning when I woke up and got all set up to feed the bird, I pulled the towel off the box and the chirping began with the mouth open ready for breakfast.  Throughout the day I continued to feed the bird about once an hour.  It seemed like everytime I went in for the feeding the bird was stronger and happier to see me.  Sure enough by the end of the day the little mocking bird was standing up reaching for the food. 

I am happy to say that I believe this little bird will make it for us to release it into the wild once it is old enough.  The chirping and singing that greets me at feeding time is wonderful to hear and just makes me love mother nature that much more.