[cobirds] sorry this is late

I get the digest; did not see msg in timely manner. I grieve for your phoebe pair. Mine has had similar trials and is now down to two nestlings after losing an egg (jays) and a nestling (unknown event). The female phoebe has had to brood & feed chicks with only one foot for the past 3 or 4 weeks (it took me a while to realize what was the cause of her balance difficulty). The male is a good dad; so far they are managing with the remaining young, on a ledge over our garage. I cringe when the female sits in the driveway where the local Cooper's can pick her off in a wink. But so far... they are making this work.

I would have recommended that you "fly" over to Colorado Native Bird Care & Conservation, run by cert. wildlife rehabber Donna Nespoli. She is off the beaten track, in upper Lyons (Spring Gulch) but can sometimes accept desperate young birds at the P.o. if her husband is home. For songbirds she is the best I know, bar none. I can tell a couple of miracle stories to prove it. I advise all caring CObirders to make a note of her contact information: 

Colorado Native Bird Care & Conservation CNBCC -- (303) 823-2326 or (303) 618-0357 and moonshine1118@yahoo.com

Obviously, when time is of the essence, phone. She gets very little sleep during fledging season, but will call as fast as she can.

I hope your nestling (Deborah) made it through this crazy period. I guess, given the circumstances, that I would have voted for putting it back in the nest that evening, or beside the nest. Hard to know...

Glad you care, as I do, about these endearing birds.

Linda Andes-Georges
Boulder County (W of Lagerman, N of Haystack, E of Table Mtn)
[Jean-Pierre says: W of Paris, S of Quebec, E of Tahiti]
8417 Stirrup Ln

Longmont CO 80503

Tel. 720 668 5214