by Sue Guild, Garland, NE

Last July while monitoring the bluebird trail on our land, I noticed what looked like a feather fluttering from a box which I knew had tree swallows about ready to fledge. As I got closer, I saw that it was one of the fledglings, frantically trying to fly.

Gently, I gathered it into my hand and opened the box. One of its legs was caught in the nesting material and was tightly wound from its efforts to escape. Ever so carefully, I began trying to disengage the leg, to no avail. Then, to my horror, the leg broke off above the foot. Of course, there was the usual contingent of parents, aunties, uncles and older siblings circling above me, diving. I decided to put the bird in the box hoping they would care for it. The other fledglings were gone so the baby was alone in the box. The next day when I checked to see if it was still there, I was delighted to see that it was not in the box or the grass around the box.