[RobinRobinRobin]

Hello all!
For the past 4 days I have been taking care of a fledgling Robin. There are no bird rehabbers around here or anyone that wants anything to do with the situation other than to state that it's "illegal" to care for them...whatever.
ANYWAY... The other day he ("Robbie"...and yes, MY name really is Robin) was hopping around the backyard when my husband found him. We were concerned because this seems to happen yearly, and they never have survived...this one though, looks healthier than others have. We couldn't find a nest anywhere, and ended up using a "nest" that came with a hanging plant basket (just like a nest). We put that inside of a tall sided box and brought him up to our covered balcony that overlooks the backyard where he was found. I did some searching on the internet, and when his parents were nowhere to be found, I fed him some shredded beef cat food and little pieces of blueberries and softened bits of raisins...feeding those with some chopsticks which has been working well...and giving him some drops of water from an eye dropper...all this every 30 to 60 minutes from around 7 am to 9:30pm. The one exception to that schedule was the 2nd day, when his father actually showed up regularly to feed him (we have a camera and a monitor we are watching him with...obsessively, I might add). Unfortunately, the third day (yesterday) it was storming/raining pretty badly and the Dad never showed up. Today (SO FAR) it has been nice, but no parents coming to feed him. I got up early this morning and brought the whole box down to the backyard...and waited...and watched from a distance...nothing. So then I took him out of the box and set him on the ground...same thing, but a couple of robins actually came close by to poke around...but they didn't feed him. After a long while of watching from inside, and Robbie standing still in one place, I went out to put him back in the box. He jumped onto my finger and just perched there. I saw a Robin way up on an antenna on top of the neighbor's house, so I held up my finger with Robbie on it, and just stood there like an idiotic tree...hoping something would happen. Nothing. Robbie eventually turned to face ME and not the bird. Frustrated, because I have been trying NOT to let him be tame (but hard when you have to feed them so they LIVE), I brought him to a tree with a lower branch and put him on it. He just sat there. not knowing what to do, and no robins came near him. After a few hours of this, I had to put him back in the box/nest and back to the balcony. Last I checked we have a "Hazardous weather Outlook" with potential for hail. No train or anything has started yet, but I am concerned that he might decide to jump out and then be stuck in some crazy weather. We have a small screen we put on top of the box last night when the weather was bad and it was past time for any parents to show up anyway. I don't know if I should use it now or not (it's not on right now, but I do put it on for brief periods to let the dogs go out in the back yard and do their business). The moronic obsessive compulsive neighbor has been mowing, weedwacking, blowing, etc for the past THREE HOURS NOW, and he doesn't even have a big yard. The noise is probably scaring the poor thing. Robbie looks like he is very alert and looking around curiously, like he wants to go out, but he needs guidance and the parents have not been around. I also just read that they may need to feed him on the ground for 2 or 3 WEEKS once he ventures out! I am worried about that, and the fact that neighbors have cats they refuse to keep in, and we scan the yard now before letting the dogs out, but they can find what we can't see. UGH! Any advice, anyone????? I'm tired!

[RobinRobinRobin]

...and of course it started raining as soon as I posted this


....and yet still, crazy person STILL mowing!

[RobinRobinRobin]

Replying to myself, but have an update...
Well...Robbie is is a really good wildlife rehab right now! The vet's office just happened to call about my cat's bloodwork, and I asked them if they knew of anyplace at all since I've had no luck, and sure enough, they did, and I called the place gave them all the info...emailed a pic and they said he looks like at least 2 more weeks until he can be on his own. They are putting him in with another robin that is about a day or 2 older and going to get him to eat and survive on his own for a few weeks before he is released. Of course I cried, but it is such a good place with lots of trees around and great people taking care of them. They gave him a number that we can call about for updates I'll miss him!

[KCFoggin]

Hi Robin. Wow, you've had quite the time of it haven't you? I'm glad to hear that you have found a safe and secure place for the Robin and thanks for caring enough to do something about it and.... on behalf of the entire staff here at BirdForum, a warm welcome to you.

[Euan Buchan]

Welcome

[RobinRobinRobin]

Thanks guys! Looks like a great forum. I will be getting updates on Robbie while he is there.... Will probably go visit tomorrow and bring some of the items on their "wish list." It is so nice to finally find a great place like that for abandoned wildlife... Will the excess of abandoned cats and dogs around here, and no place for them to go, I'd lost hope that Ohio cared about ANY animals. The people were great.

[RobinRobinRobin]

...By the way...any of you "birdies" know what would be different about a STARLING that the rehab place wouldn't normally take them? I ask because there was a starling in the sanctuary and the rehabber said they normally do not take starlings but that one managed to "fly under the radar." I was so distressed and scatterbrained about Robbie that I didn't think to ask why until now. Any thoughts?

[KCFoggin]

Probably because the European Starling and our House Sparrow are introduced species and not considered under the Federal Migratory Act.

[Katy Penland]

Hi, Robin! Another warm welcome to you!

Good job on the robin.

[RobinRobinRobin]

Sunday Robbie Update!:

I called the Wildlife Rehab to get an update, and the guy said Robbie seems to be doing well...They hand fed him and also put in some things to see if he'd eat on his own...he said it looked like he had picked at it, but not sure if he actually ate any of it on his own. He will be back in that area for another week or two, so I technically can't go see him yet, but I am thinking next Saturday of popping over there...the guy who was there when I brought him in will be working and he'll probably let us have a peek at him. After Robbie is done in the back (hand feeding / watch area), he will go to the outside screened in aviary, and we'll be able to see him anytime there until he is ready for release.