Walking home from a visit with Bo and Lorena, I came across this cute little fledgling chickadee sitting on a wall in the open for all to see.
Fledgling birds are young and naïve, and it's not uncommon for them to be found in vulnerable situations. I scooped her up so I could put her in a more concealed place deeper in the foliage. There are a lot of cats around, not to mention crows (who will sometimes kill small animals to feed their own babies), and I didn't want her becoming someone's prey on my watch.
When I picked her up I noticed she had something crusty on her back. I couldn't tell what it was, but I was concerned it might be an injury. If so, I would take her to the wildlife rescue.
She nestled herself into my palm without any complaints at all as I carried her home to my apartment across the street. I quickly set her up in a cozy place where she could feel safe and I could check out the possible injury.
Fortunately, because she was so young and clueless, she didn't seem to be afraid at all, and I was able to snag a couple pictures. She seemed fascinated by the camera's shutter.
I was very glad to discover that the possible scab was only a very crusty glob of poop! I cleaned it off gently with a wet paper towel and returned her to her parents.
Here is a very brief video of our time together.
It is my belief that because humankind has claimed and modified so much of the lands where wild creatures live, we have a responsibility to look out for them in whatever ways we can, while still letting them be free.
Good luck out there, little one.