I was watching dad feed the chicks this morning and noticed there were only 3 mouths vying for a meal. HUH? Where was number 4? Wondering when the population dropped I went back to check photos and videos for the past couple of days. I can swear there were 4 mouths to feed on May 3 but can't really be sure there were 4 chicks in the nest since then.
I searched the ground under the nest and didn't find any bodies... thankful for that. Then I got my ladder and closely inspected the nest. I could only count 3 beaks. If there is a 4th chick in there he is hang'n in the basement.
I've kept a close watch on the nest this morning and the chick count is still three. Since there were no bodies under the nest maybe a predator got one of the chicks. We'll never know.
A note about predators: In this area those are mice, raccoon, cats, snakes, ravens, crows and blue jays. In addition they are living very close to people and just being in the yard can scare the tiny chicks to try and fledge before they are ready. Sometimes a chick will fall from the nest or maybe be pushed out.
It's a bummer we've lost a chick. It is, however, how things go under the watch of mother nature. You can bet mom and dad are not worried about the missing chick they are working hard to feed the remaining three.
I don't have any decent pictures so far today. I've made 3 trips to the nest and shot about 20 pictures but I have nothing good enough to post.
I can report that I saw an eye open on one of the chicks. Don't have a clue if they can see but there was certainly an eye look'n at me.
Boohoo/Whoohoo!
1 comment:
I'm glad to not see a photo of the dead baby... or hear the sad story of what caused that fate. I am happy to have been spared, but sad nonetheless,.. although I am grateful we still have 3.
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