Though the softness of spring has passed and we're firmly into the sweating-my-hams-off summer, it seems the birds are still quite twitterpated around here. The family of Flycatchers that had built their nest on our downspout has flown away, and another family has moved in above the window on the barn. Likely, it's the same father with a different mother. He probably started wooing and building his new family when his other fledglings were almost ready to leave the nest.
They're messy nest-builders, but adorably cute. Just check out the look that baby is giving me.
I noticed a Cowbird trying to get into the nest a little over a week ago or so, and the Flycatcher pair was doing their best to scare her off. I normally make it my policy not to interfere with mother nature, but.... I took a walk over, you know, just to look around, and the Cowbird flew off. I don't see any Cowbird babies in the nest, so that's good. If you don't know, Cowbirds are a brood parasitic who will lay their eggs in another bird's nest. When the egg hatches, the much larger cowbird baby will require most of the food brought to it, often starving out the other babies. Sometimes the larger chick will even push the smaller ones out of the nest. Not nice.
The gutter birds I wrote about a few weeks ago have left the nest, and the nest itself has begun to sprout. I should take it down, but I rather like the imagery.
A new family of robins has made its home under the eaves of the barn, in a location maybe even more curious than the gutter birds.
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| pile o' junk behind the barn |
I know it's a little hard to see, but there are three impossibly tiny, wobble-headed fuzzy babies in there.
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| AHHHHHH!! |
Wow, faces only a mother could love?
The Blue Jays have raised their babies and I miss them defending their territory. They were an amazing warning system against incoming hawks. I like hawks, don't get me wrong, but they've wreaked havoc on my chicken flock so I got a good chuckle out of seeing momma Blue Jay chase them out of the yard.
Lastly, I noticed this nest on the ground as I walked back from the barn.
They're everywhere!
I've been getting very little crafting time, but can you guess what I've been working on? You'll never guess. haha
With luck I'll have some photos to share soon.
Thanks for joining me on my little bird-walk.
What have you seen in your neck of the woods lately?
7 comments:
We had some robins under our deck, and I was having the best time, taking a couple pictures each day so we could see how they grew. Then, one day, I came inside and realized that my camera and I were covered in bird mites. Ugh! I've gone back to my zoom lens, thankyouverymuch.
Holy Cow...How rude!
You've gone to the birds...It's wonderful to see these photos. I live downtown and get pigeons, gulls, crows and starlings...Not much else.
You are a lucky lady!
xo
Andrea
(word veri is "delight"!!)
wow wonderfull post You have so many birds around. I have sparrows under my roof and I see often a couple of tomtit (?) in my garden. Very rare we have a visit of a heron,, looking for fish in our littel pond, but as we don't have fish we don''t mind his visit :)
Oh lucky you Lisa to have so many nests in viewing distance. The children must love it!
I can't guess, do we get a clue?
How sweet! I would be saving any empty nests if I had them. I'm guessing you're felting nests or eggs. Just a thought.
Karen
that is so cool!! we have birds nesting in our old, vintage lighting in the backyard. :)
i know you are learning to crochet and making the most amazing things:)
or you are making bird nests, because you can never have enough of those
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