This afternoon I was outside with my dog when a teensy baby finch tumbling down the sidewalk to my feet. As I was figuring out what the hell was happening he fluttered and tumbled off the sidewalk into the long grass where he got stuck. For this purpose precisely I have a bird cage that sits vacant in my house which I picked up for ten bucks at a thrift store a few months back. So I made him a little nest out of shredded washcloth and a small box and wired the doors open and tied it to the awning on my back porch. I've been sitting here watching out the window to see if his parents will find him ever since, nervous at what might happen if they didn't. He's been chirping away.
Just a minute ago finally someone caught on and perched on the porch railing just across from him before flying over and perching in the open door of the cage. He was joined by about four others just after. Baby got super excited about this fluttering and chirping, and now they know where he is and I can relax.