Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Feed me!! Cheep - Cheep

I have 3 birdhouses along the back fence.  I've mentioned them a few times but pretty much they are just there.  On Tuesday morning I was in the yard when I hear the sound of baby birds vie for the attention of the mommy bird.  This must be the third or fourth batch of birds hatched this season in this one birdhouse.  From the looks of the mother she might have been born in the first batch as she looked hardly mature enough to have hatched eggs.

As I watched the mother approach the birdhouse I noted she was carrying a green insect of some type in her  mouth.  Ever so cautious she alit on the branch of a nearby tree.  Looked around and up and down and then looked some more.  After about a minute she moved to the fence below the birdhouse and again she looks around.  Ever so cautious.  Then she moves along the fence to another spot and looks some more.  Geez, that bug is going to dry out and turn to dust before she feeds her babies.  Finally after about 4 or 5 minutes from when I saw her in the tree she flew up to the nest, landing on the perch that sticks out below the entrance hole.

Once again she is looking around with the bug securely in her beak.  Now the little baby birdies can see her and are going crazy with their cheeping and, maybe, the first inkling of a chirp every now and then. 

To my surprise, she starts feeding the insect to the babies via the air-vent above the entrance hole.  I could make out the mouths and eye circles of a couple of babies.  Mama finally released the insect and the babies disappeared to fight over the delicacy.  Mom was off in search of more food... I wonder where Daddy bird was hang'n.

Baby birds are cool to have in your yard.

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