Thunderstorms and Birds Nests

A baby osprey has just drowned in its nest in Scotland due to heavy rains there...so sad. But it reminds me of a happier outcome after torrential rain.

Thunderstorms and birds nests....I just had to drag out my album from NH some 25 years ago....my first (and only) hands on bird rescue. Out back behind the parsonage was a plain little bush with a wonderful treasure - a small pocket of a nest with newly hatched yellow warblers. We loved watching the parents coming and going and tending the the little nest filled with great gaping beaks! (We peaked in!). Then one afternoon there was a terrible thunderstorm and torrential downpour. When it cleared I hurried outside worried about the nest. It was gone!!! But there were two babies peeping on the ground and the mother was bringing food to them. Where was the nest? Where was the third baby?! There was no way they could fly yet! That sodden hunk of grass...had that been the nest? I gingerly picked it up..nothing but soggy mass of grass upside down on the ground, nest shape gone. and then the nest pooped in my hand. Astounded breathlessly I gently pulled apart the grass and a found the third baby who now sat in my hand and tilted its head at me and said "peep"! Now what? To make long story short Nick and I realized that the father warbler was nearby and calling to the chick which was responding to him! So we set him in a place we hoped would be safe from cats and watched the father begin to feed it! The top picture is from the rescue day. Several days later I followed the father to the baby which was now perched in chicken wire fencing and the baby hopped onto my finger! "Peep! I always hoped one day a grown up yellow warbler would perch on my shoulder and say "Chirp"!