bird in hand

Frank to the rescue

 The red-winged blackbird dive bombed from the sky and lay on the patio, stunned. The dogs leapt for it, but Frank was faster. He took the bird, gasping with distress and shock, in his hands and held it gently until it came to its senses, gathered its strength and flew up into the sky.
  In other bird news, a grackle struts his courtship display on the lawn, and a lone hummingbird appears at the feeder. Spring is here in the Ozarks, though it was in the 40s last night.

Leaning to fly?