Hooded Warbler rescued

Few days after returning state from my oversea trip, it was a beautiful September here in Atlanta. Leaves were turning color and many birds were also ready to molt. 

I was sitting at breakfast table and enjoying this fabulous autumn and the never ending fights of hummingbirds through my ceiling-to-floor bayed windows. Suddenly, I heard a loud impact on the bayed windows and my first instinct was it might be a bird. Once in a while, we will see birds fly towards windows or they will just hit the break and fly away. This happen more often in hummingbirds than in any other birds since I have a window nectar feeder just right outside my bayed windows. But this time, it was a serious collision and I was sure it would not be a hummingbirds.

Looking around my deck and the bottom of the kitchen windows from where I was sitting then quickly, I spotted a small yellow bird sit on the deck with its eyes closed. I knew this bird could be injured and ran outside to rescue the bird. 

Honestly I had no clue what bird was at that time. I did not become a serious birder until when I joined Master Birder program  and before that I was just like everyone else feeding bird from backyard. In the mean time, I was on internet and anxiously tried to find a number to call if I have to send this poor thing for medical attention. I grabbed my camera and took few good shots and still tried to find the correct phone numbers. I was thinking to get some seeds to feed him. I know some birds are seed-eaters and other are insectivorous. Since not knowing what kind of bird it is, I was hesitant and not sure what to feed him.

When I brought the bird outside to look at him carefully. Now this yellow bird started to open his eyes and stand still on my hand. I took few more pictures. This was my first time so close to a wild bird. Pondering this bird just within few inches of distance, his yellow plumage glows like a handful of gold. 

By the time I got a small shoe box ready for him to have a good rest, this young bird came back with a full spirit and blinked his eyes few times and finally took off from my hand. It did not take long to find out he was a young, male Hooded Warbler. During this incidence, I found two very useful sites:

AWARE (Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Wildlife Center), Atlanta : AwareWildlife.org
Find a Rehabber any where in the 50 states Wildlife Rehabilitation Directory 
Or find a Rehabber in Georgia at Georgia Wildlife

Happy Birding -- Linda