Something very special happened today. Right after my first period class I was surrounded by a crowd of young men and one that I teach told me that he needed a huge favor. His friends were surrounding him and I could see that they were frantic. There were five of them and I was somehow presented with a tiny baby mockingbird held in paper towels. They told me that this baby mocking bird was found in the common walkway and they didn't want it to be abused by hateful people walking by.
I found a nesting box immediately and looked up instructions about feeding baby birds almost as immediately. I shredded up newspaper and paper towels. I looked up feeding instructions and found out that it was not legal to keep wild birds. I did learn that I could provide shelter but not keep a wild bird, but could maintain one until I could pass it off to a professional. I got on the phone and called the first rehab number I could find who directed me to a local wildlife rehabilitation center. I looked up instructions online and learned a very lot very quickly. I learned very fast that it is bad to feed water to birdlings and that one should shred a nest and provide a heat source right away.
The baby bird was carried away very quickly toward a vet office and then toward a wildlife rehab location. I am so proud of my students that cared enough for a baby bird that they asked for help. Any human that would expend their time and energy on behalf of a tiny creature is a kind person and I am proud of my kiddos that were concerned for the life of a tiny mockingbird. They have pretty much all read To Kill A Mockingbird and have taken to heart the understanding that mockingbirds are kind of special.
Mockingbird is also the state bird of Texas.
