Teddy died. I figure he was too far gone to survive. Shock, very likely. He didn't get hit with a car, or taken away by a big frightening animal and died in a shady spot (under the VW bug) in his own natural place, outside. I assumed he would rather die that way than in my foriegn car as I rushed some place which might help him. Last, I assumed that it would run its course soon enough, with or without my intervention. At least I'll be armed for the next time it happens; thanks for the answers.

Hi Adeva, First off, I'm sorry the hummingbird rescue in your state wasn't nice to your mom...especially as she was obviously trying to help. :( Go to this website and look up a wildlife rehabilitation center for your state (I volunteer for a local one in Arizona and they take in at least a few injured hummers every year). Have your mom bring it in to them asap. It's actually illegal to keep migratory birds without a permit... but more importantly, wildlife rehabbers will know just what to do with the hummer. Baby hummers need a lot more than just sugar water-- insects are a big part of the diet, and sugar water alone fed to them for more than a few days can actually -cause- deformities like the one this hummer has. If your mom really loves hummingbirds please have her call someone asap so that this little guy will have the best chance... by being cared for by people who have past experience with hummers. Thanks for caring... Amy Here is a link that might be useful: wildlife rehab centers by state

Bird nests bring lots of bird poo especially at fledging time. We had a nest in our lilac bush and the day the babies fledged (I only saw one leave) they pooped everywhere on the sidewalk by the lilac bush. Haven't seen the babies since...the parents take them away and hide them in the woodsy area by us. We don't normally see them again until they are out looking for worms themselves when they are much bigger. We have a Coopers Hawk around here that normally gets a few Robin babies, saw one feather pile last weekend which looked to be a Robin. Not sure what nest it would be from though since there are Robins nest everywhere. Your babies probably made it fine minus the one but chances are you probably won't see them again, they don't stick around an old nest at all. Donna

Thanks, everyone! Gail, that's an incredibly interesting website. We never knew that house sparrows will enter another bird's house to destroy eggs and kill babies -- and we have tons of house sparrows around here. We've guarded against snakes, raccoons, and other birds such as crows, but the house sparrow threat is new to me. Thank you so much for recommending that website! Back to the drawing board! Attracting bluebirds was easy...we just put up a house and they found it. We've since put up several more around the property. How strange that your nest holds only one baby, Gail. One of the interesting things about bluebirds is that the first batch of babies each year hang around and help the parents feed the second batch of babies. I hope you have good luck! Sorry to hear about your babies, Natal. It's been a dramatic spring for our birds all around. Barn swallows had built a mud nest under the porch roof for years and this spring a phoebe took over that spot and built her nest there. (The mud nest collapsed last summer when the babies fledged by pushing off from the edge.) This morning I looked out and a barn swallow was asleep on a perch near the grass/moss phoebe nest, her head tucked into her wing. The turf wars continue, I guess.