This was NOT my planned PaD for today. I'd actually planned on doing some kind of indoor lightbox type shot. I even went to The Home Depot and Staples today to get some DIY materials for building one.

While mowing the lawn this afternoon, I noticed a Toad. It was a split second view, just before he went under the front of the mower. I pulled the mower up and moved to the side. I was reaching down to grab the Toad and put him into the woods (out of my way) when I realized it wasn't a Toad, it was a baby bird. I shut the mower off and that was when I heard all the commotion, its parents (and possibly entire extended family, squadron, whatever) were chirping away like crazy. I still had my thick work gloves on so I grabbed this little guy up and put him in my kids critter keeper while I finished the lawn (I didn't want him getting back under the mower). Afterwards, I broke out the camera for a few shots just before my family (& their friends) returned from the pool (association pool). Each group of children & women arrived with an "Awwwwww" "its sooo cute". My ten-year-old's first question was "can we keep it?". We actually have all the bird gear as she was planning on getting a Parakeet earlier this year, but it never happened. Each group of visitors asked "Did you touch it?" (I swear it was like a tape on a loop...).

We (ok, "I") put this little guy back under the maple trees where he/she fell but realized it wouldn't last long on the ground. I had him in an evergreen but it wouldn't stay there, kept falling/flying out (which I figure is good, exercise those wings). I don't have a very good prognosis for this little guy, we have a lot of cats & critters in the neighborhood.

This makes me wonder how the Blue Jay nest is doing. I will check it tomorrow at lunch.