Awaken in the night…..

when it wakes my husband, you know something is not good. A sound that could not be described.

Finally we figured out it was the Chimney Swifts. We have a late season nest in the chimney.

What a noise….ok back to bed.

This morning after battling for sleep, that I finally gave in and nosed around to see what was upsetting these birds.

That is when the children and found the nest had fallen and two babies where in the fireplace hanging on to the nest for dear life calling their mother.

Immediately, my thoughts went to, “oh no! I am not hand raising these.” Especially after the hamster episode.

Have to love the internet!!!!! Anything you need to know is right there! Yes lets find what to do…. After some reading, we found we could touch the babies and return them to the upper part of the fireplace (lower part of the chimney). And mom would come and tend to them. We also found out the age(note in picture below eyes are closed still). This meant we really needed them back with their mom.

There is nothing better then real living school!

My youngest and I retrieved the babies and nest. Found a small basket to place babies in and the oldest went to the roof and lowered them using a garden hoe. (which opened up another issue in the house. Everyone wanting to be on the roof, NOT).

All has ended well, mommy and daddy have been down the chimney several times now to tend to their babies and their newly placed nest on the smoke ledge.

 

We have learn a few things on this road.

1. nest is made of saliva and tips of trees.

2. if you are hearing the babies they are about 2 weeks away from leaving.

3. they are rare and protected.

4. to hand feed and to have them you must have a lic/permit.

5. They fly here every summer from Peru.

6 they are here for the warmest part of the year and as soon as the first cool breeze blows through they are gone.

7. if the first hatching fails the parents will try again.

Do you feel smarter today? I do…..