This is the time of year when many songbird babies have fledged which means they’ve left the nest, like the young Eastern Phoebes pictured here. (Photo by Cephas). Last year, I found a young phoebe on my back deck. At first, I thought it was an adult that had hit the window. When I went out to check on it, I noticed two adults nearby. The youngster had managed to fly up onto my deck and when went closer, it fluttered up to the rail and then half-flew, half-fell 20 yards to the grass below. Hoping to herd it further away, I followed. As I approached, the fledgling flew again and then crash landed in a nearby bush. After landing, it looked around, fluffed its feathers and settled in as if this had been its plan all along.

This year, I’ve seen fledgling Chipping Sparrows following their mother squeaking constantly for her attention. I’ve had an American Robin fledgling that squawked outside my window incessantly while I tried to work. My friend Ruthie has reported that the family of Brown Thrashers and Catbirds that live in her yard have fledged chicks as well. Watch closely and you are likely to see young birds, too.

Many songbirds will leave the nest even before they can fly. They’ll move along branches begging for food. In some cases, they end up on the ground or in a low bush. If you come across a recently fledged youngster, what should you do? My recommendation is to leave it alone as long as it’s not in imminent danger. You can bet the parent is close by and will continue to feed the youngster. In fact, some birds, like Blue Jays, will aggressively attack if you get too close.

This is a dangerous time for chicks, so it is especially important to keep your cats and dogs inside or on leash while these bumbling chicks are learning to fly and make their way in the world. Surprisingly, the greatest danger for young birds isn’t predators or disease. Its simply poor judgement. They don’t have the skills and experience of an adult. Therefore, they zig when they should have zagged. So, you can increase their odds of success by keeping your pets away, leaving them alone and simply enjoy their antics from a distance.

James Reddoch, of Albany Township and Boston, leads birding events for the Mahoosuc Land Trust. Visit Mahoosuc Land Trust at 162 North Road, Bethel, ME. To learn more visit www.mahoosuc.org. To contact James, send your emails to info@mahoosuc.org.

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