I've been lucky this summer--a mating pair of mockingbirds have nested in my yard and hatched little ones. The parents fly back and forth across the yard, flashing the stripes of white on their wings and the smooth as silk grey feathers. They are out in the grass off and on all day looking for bugs and things for the kiddies. They perch on the rosebush and on the rocks lining the driveway and give me looks when I come outside.
This morning I heard the cheep cheeps of the babies wanting the parents to get with it and find food--but in the azalea bushes about 10 feet from the house there was a loud "I've fallen and I can't get up" kind of plaintive cheep. One of the nestlings had fallen out and the cheeps said as clearly as speech--"Mommy"  "Daddy" help! I wasn't the only thing that heard the help cheeps--a hawk circled overhead making shrill calls.
I went over to the bushes looking for the fallen baby. One of the parents flew to the electric line right over the bushes and let out some loud, scolding warning sounds--warning the baby to hush, which it did-- and scolding to me to back up--which I did. I had just heard on the radio that if you don't have cats that would snatch the baby in this situation,  to leave it alone and leave the matter to the parents. So I went back in the house and left them to it.
The next time I went back out, a mockingbird sang for me while I folded clothes. I stayed outside as long as the serenade lasted. Maybe the birds know I am honored they choose my yard and wish them no harm.
susil