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When I arrived home today, as ever, my pack of doggie delinquents rushed out to greet me.

In an instant, before I could blink, they saw a movement in the bush and were onto it I saw that it was a fledgling and with much commotion, shouting, screaming and threats of death I managed to whisk the bird away before the dogs did any damage.

It was a little "Go-away bird", still very much covered in baby fluff, but old enough to move fairly quickly on the ground.

The poor parents were distraught and making a lot of noise while all of this was happening.

I placed it in a pile of rocks where it was going to be safe from my dogs. The rocks are outside my fence. Its a fairly large pile offering lots of cover. I also placed some papaya on the rocks to attract the parents and hopefully give some food to this little creature.

I am now a bit concerned. It gets very cold and I am not sure if it will have enough protection from the frost.

Is there anything else I can do?

Should I try to remove the rocks and find the fledgling and take it to a rehabilitation centre? The rocks are fair size and there must be about 30 of them piled ontop of each other. I was going to use them for a small rock garden.

Hi MM,

You have done the correct thing. If the parents were still about, they will find the chick and feed it. Unless you knew that the chick was injured, then the best place for it is with it's parents. If you know that the parents have abandoned it for sure, then take it to a rehab centre, but this is a last resort. Best always to put them into some nearby cover and watch from a distance.

Lots of people pick up "abandoned" young not knowing that the adults will know where they are. Owl chicks "branch" before they fledge and are often picked up by mistake and taken into "care" needlessly.

Hope this helps and eases your worries?

beware of the cats around
good luck little Go-away Bird

Oh MM .. Have the parents been back??
I took my little birdie into the house . Put it in card board box and fed it very sloppy pronutro made with with water you can also mash up the paw paw. If its so small it will open its mouth for you .. Then in the morning when the sun is out move it into a dog /cat proof sunny place preferably when mom and dad can see it. I did this with my birdie ( no breed mentioned !!!) and He/she spoke to mom everyday and they were around most of the time. But I was surrogate mommy and made sure he/she had a full tummy . When older and had more feathers was left outside in the garden ( cat was locked up ) and brought in at night. He/she grew and grew and then was outside for a whole night by himself . and a week went by then was outisde for three days and then came back then for a week and came back and now has been gone for three weeks and I think he has joined all his mates. Whenever he came home he was nice and plump .
Hope you have success MM
OOr Wullie polished off another dove this afternoon.. I think i will put a kitty muzzle on him when outside

Thanks everyone.

The baby was not injured, fortunately. It was such a sweet little thing and very, very frightened.

Anne Marie, I think that it will be safe from my cats. Its in a pile of rocks that are completely cat proof. I am more worried about the frost.