Baby time

It's obviously nesting time.  Yesterday, before I left the school I work at, I saw a number of children, with a teacher, taking turns clambering on  a stool, to peep into a box around the electricity meter.  I asked what was the excitement and I was told that it was the nest of a magpie robin with 3 lil ones in it!  So I went to have a look too.  I'm glad I did, because neither the young teacher, nor any of the 4th grade children there, knew that one should never touch the babies.
Anyway, while everyone was having a look, the poor parents flew around frantically, making little chirping noises.  Then one of the kids noticed that there was feed for the babies in the parents' beak.  So we all quickly cleared out from there, to leave them in peace.  Completely slipped my mind that I could have taken photographs with my camera!!

Narrow escape

This morning, Lab and I were out in our front yard.  I usually sit out with her while I have coffee. I'd finished my coffee and thought I'd take a walk around her.  I saw her suddenly go into 'watch' freeze and then saw her running towards something.  Without my glasses I couldn't see what it was.  But I ran up to where she was real fast.  I was sure it would be a squirrel.  But what did I see, but our pal here in the picture, a baby woodpecker who'd obviously landed down there and now couldn't take off!  You can see that his eyes are hardly open and his tail is sort of damp!

I

Luckily our Lab is curious first.  So she'd just got round to smelling the little thing when I reached her.  I somehow grabbed hold of her collar and had to wrestle with her to get her into the house and away from this little one.  After putting her out back with some treats, I ran back with my camera.  I was in time to see Mama sitting there too and urging baby to fly--maybe.  But the minute I tried to open the window screen to take a picture, Mama flew off.  I waited quietly inside to see if Mama would return, but she didn't.  So then I went outside.  I waited around and then felt I just couldn't leave baby there, because it was only a matter of time before either a stray cat or a mongoose caught hold of it.
I went up to him/her talking all the while.  That's when I got to take the picture.   After that I thought I'd gently lift him up using a leaf, so that my scent wouldn't be left on him.  But he tried to peck me!  Finally I got a thin twig, onto which he was able to climb.  As I lifted the twig up, thinking I'd place him on the nearest tree, he flew off.  He landed further off somewhere, where I'm sure Mama would have come and taken him off.
You should have seen him though crying out for his Mama.  He would let out his shrill cry and then look skyward.  I sure hope he and Mama are fine.

Growing

Baby mongoose seems to have grown.  I've been hearing mongooses in the undergrowth outside my window.  Today I was able to catch mamma & baby--who has become a lanky youngster now.  How many different types of cries I heard!  At times it seemed like Mama was screaming at her baby, probably for taking risks.!  I also watched as she turned around and murmured at baby--who was loitering around behind her.  I see all this from my windows.  But I have to be very quiet.  Any loud sound and they're off.