Some neighborhood kids were poking around in a bush by the bus stop  this am 
investigating some chirping and out popped a fledgling  sparrow.  There was 
much screaming and running about until I shooed them  all away.  I went to 
retrieved the baby bird, it wasn't able to fly but ran  very well. All the while 
I'm chasing it, the mother(?) is trying to distract me  by crawling on the 
ground with wings splayed out and chirping up a ruckus.
After I put the fledgling back in the bush, I got all the kids to follow  Mom 
and she led us about 50 ft away before taking off.
 
 
 
Tom  Beal
Glenn Dale, MD PG  Co.