Incoming

Grackles at Boyd Hill

Black Skimmer Feeding

I went out to check the Black Skimmers on July 6th-after the fourth celebrations were over and was delighted to find hundreds on the beach and plenty in various stages of nesting as well.

We’re hungry mom!

Babies nesting in a bush in my driveway. I watched them from eggs till they flew away. One of which I assisted as it fell from nest too soon. Brought it to a well known bird sanctuary a half hour away. The other three stayed put till they decided to fly. 🙂

Incoming

For the past couple of years least terns have returned to beautiful Belmar New Jersey to breed and raise their young. In addition, American oyster catchers and black skimmers have also shown up. Let’s hope this is a banner year.

I’m Always Hungry Mom

Nest built on a fallen tree in a channel between two lakes. Took photo as we were passing by in boat.

Oh boy, gummy worms

American robin chick excited for food

American crows

Yet another year that this adult female has raised young in our yard.

Feeding time!

Mr. Barn Swallow taking his turn in feeding his young.

Mom Delivers

While this Eastern Bluebird mom usually brings “meaty” meals, she brought a bright, red berry for this baby’s dinner.

Eastern Bluebird Eggs – 2015 1st brood

All five eggs have hatched and the babies are hungry!

Red Bellied Woodpecker Feeding Time

A Family Affair

Feeding time for this Least Tern family. Both parents participate in feeding the young and I had the pleasure of watching this young one swallow this fish whole.

Three’s a Crowd

I spent a lot of time watching the young grow up and leave the nest. This is one of my favorite images of the summer.

Feeding Baby

Tasty Suet

We feed year round and use a variety of feeds and feeders at our feeding station. This year we’ve had a host of species bring their young to the station. What a delight watching the youngsters being fed and learning to feed themselves right outside our window!

Osprey & Two Nestlings

Osprey returning to the nest. You can visibly see one small nestling off the the left of the one receiving food.

Learning the fundamentals

A brood of Northern Orioles enjoying grape jelly!

Feed Me!

Put ’em here Dad!

I got the mealworm Blues

Early Morning

Robin Fledglings

Feeding time

Humming bird nest

Bluebird Bringing Food to Young

Bluebird male and female spent day bringing food to young in birdhouse on our property.

Dinner Time

Goldfinch feeding time, sunflower seeds

I planted a sunflower/bird seed garden, the baby goldfinch would sit below the parent wanting some

Bluebird Feeding Young

Watched the male and female bluebirds going in and out of our new birdhouse with food feeding the young. Managed to catch the male bluebird on his way back out.

Gimme That!

These are our male and female Tree Swallow Parents. When I took this photo, the female, was going back and forth from him to the bird box, and he would just sit there, moth in mouth. It was like she was saying, “go feed them!” And he would just wait. It’s been an absolute joy watching them reside in our bird box. Especially since they went through a day there battling sparrows. We helped fight them off!

I’m hungry Dad

Order Up!

yum yum

Feeding time

This is not long before the babies left the nest

All in the family

A Tree Swallow feeds it’s young.

A Tree Swallow feeds it’s young at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge near Salem, Oregon.

Western Kingbird & Fledglings Feeding Time

A Western Kingbird was feeding it’s fledglings.

A Rufous Hummingbird feeding it’s Chick

A Rufous Hummingbird renovated and re-used last years nest in a fir tree. It was right off the gable end of a house so I was able to sit on the peak of the roof and get this shot. I sent up a webcam and lots of people watched as the chick, “Rusty”, developed and eventually fledged. Rusty was the sole hatchling from a pair of eggs which were laid and he thrived.

Feeding time

Open Wide!

Mama feeding her young!

Daddy’s favorite

Into the Mouth of the Lion

Tree Swallows built their nest in a box mounted on a post on my deck. A shepherd’s hook, used for the bird feeder in winter, hangs 3 feet away. This is where I watched them mate. They also used this as a perch before entering the nest box. They were extremely tolerant of us out on the deck. We were able to watch as they came and went, feeding and caring for their family. As the little ones grew, it was fun to watch them sticking their heads out of the box, waiting for Mom and Dad to bring home a meal.

Hungry Chippy!

A baby Chipping Sparrow swallowing a bug that mom just gave it before taking off to search for more food.

Waiting for Mama to feed me next!

Mama feeding her two babies

I spy with my little eye

Num…num…num!

Time for Breakfast

Dinner for a Duckling

After following its mother and siblings out from their island roost, a Wood Duck duckling lunges at an insect on the surface of Sequoia Park’s duck pond.

A Meal for Great Egret Chicks

After waiting for about an hour, two Great Egret nestlings receive a feeding from one of their parents. The hungry egret chicks grab at the parent’s head and attempts to shake loose food as it is regurgitated.

In Flight

Father Western Bluebird was frantically trying to meet the demands of the babies as they grew bigger.

Bringing Home The Berries

These Western Bluebirds nest in a tree in my yard. They usually have at least three batches a season. These parents had been from the last batch and barely lost their own speckles! The day before the babies fledged, they were pretty demanding!

Singing for Supper

A new mating pair of Cardinals built a nest in a Gardenia bush, right outside our window. The largest of all the hatchling, this one was particularly vocal.

Downy Woodpecker Picnic Lunch

Male Downy Woodpecker and baby. Dad is feeding the baby peanut pieces.

Male Eastern Bluebird with green caterpillar

With my seat reclined so I was mostly hidden by my car door, I waited silently with my camera focused on the Bluebird box beside me. The male and female Bluebirds had just flown away, but they would soon return, each with a plump bright green caterpillar in their mouth. They took turns going into the box, feeding the squeaking babies inside.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology