I was paddling at Walden Pond this morning working on strokes and rolls and just meandering along looking at fish in the water when I saw what I thought was a dead fish floating on the surface about six feet from shore on the far side of the pond. It turned out to be a dead baby bird. I picked it up by the tail feathers, intending to deposit him on land. Only to discover that he wasn't dead. And he had a band on one of his tiny little legs. I debated what to do, then ended up putting him on my spray skirt and paddling slowly across the pond to find a ranger-type person. Which I did (but only after being yelled at by an old lady swimmer who angrily chastised me for bringing my boat through the swimmer's area to shore - and who seemed to have no sympathy for the fact that I was on a mission of mercy). By then, this tiny bird was somewhat more revived. He appeared to have a damaged leg, but he swiveled his head and was breathing and shivering. He was small enough to hold between my cupped hands, which I did until someone came with a box to put him in - and to figure out who to call.

My question for you birders out there: First of all, what kind of bird was he? His two most distinguishing features (because the rest of him was just brown fuzz) were his bright orange beak and lovely black and white horizontal striped tail feathers. And second, who would be banding birds (obviously in the nest) at Walden Pond? The rangers had no idea, didn't know who to call etc. By the time I got out of the water, had my boat on my car, and was able to go to the ranger station, they had some idea about places to call.

But all the way home, I kept wondered who would be banding baby birds in the nest and why at Walden. What birds would be deserving of that attention? Any ideas out there?

pru

If you don't get a quick answer here, I suggest you post the question on www.birdforum.net. Big audience. I expect someone will know the answer.

GT

I don't have the answers to your questions, but had a similar situation with finding a baby bird floating in the Charles River. I picked it up out of the water, but then didn't know what to do with it. Finally....after a long time trying to find someone who could tell me what what I should do or where I could take it, I was sternly told to put it back where I found it and the mother would hopefully find it. Well, putting it back where I found it sounded like a rather bad idea, but it did make sense to put it on shore as close as possible to where I found it (as it could hop around a fly a little bit). But, there was a little bit of current, so I wasn't sure exactly where it came from. Anyway, was wondering if you had any luck with calling someone about what to do?

Gay

I'll try the bird forum website.

As for what I did with the bird - I turned it into the park rangers, and left them calling various places that take in injured wildlife. I don't think the bird would have survived. As I think I said in my post, one of its legs appeared to be damaged - when it finally revived a bit, it kept falling to one side. Could definitely not hop! The reason that I did more than leave it on he shore, which was my original thought, was the band on the leg. Whoever put it there should be informed of what its fate was. I am hoping that getting the bird to the appropriate wildlife place will accomplish that - and maybe save its tiny little life.

pru

Oh, I think you definately did the right thing and the rangers may have had more connections with getting the bird to a wildlife rehab place, especially since it was injured and banded. I was curious because I have only heard of one place within an hour or so of me that rehabs injured birds, and I don't remember where that place is now.

Gay