The Barn Swallow Quintet lives in the old hog barn in our centennial farm. My daughters greet them every morning and every night as they care for their 4-H animals. A barn cat got hold of the mother swallow, but my empathetic 11-year-old was able to rescue her. It was a good thing, because the eggs hatched the next day. Three days later, these babies popped up to chirp for their supper.
This pair if wrens have built 3 nests on our front porch over the spring and summer. This last nest is right next to our front door. We spend a lot of time on our front porch and they are very accustomed to us being around. They are very trusting of us. We have enjoyed watching them build, feed each other while the other is on the nest and now both mama and daddy are frantically feeding the four little ones!
we watched the Piliated next to our house from excavation to fledging, we always knew when it was feeding time the baby was very verbal
two hungry chicks
Although a pair of Barn Swallows was perching near this already-built porch nest earlier this spring, the pair ceased doing so during May. On June 13, 2014 we first observed adult Cliff Swallows inside the nest, guarding and adding mud to it. In retrospect, assuming a 14-day incubation period, there must have already been at least one egg in the nest on that date because on June 30 and on subsequent days we observed a chick through the nest’s entrance hole. There may have been more chicks in the nest, but they were not visible. On July 2 I took this photo from inside my apartment through a crack in my blinds and through two layers of glass. It shows the chick inside the nest with two adults on the outside, presumably about to feed the chick. During that time period, there were often more than two adults seeking entrance to the nest, but not all of them were allowed inside because an adult inside the nest’s entrance would peck some of them away. Once an adult would gain entrance to the nest, it would often seem to be feeding the chick and adding mud to the nest at the same time. We no longer observed this chick in the nest, or any adults guarding the nest, after July 8. We therefore assume that this chick fledged on July 9. A detailed chronology is available at http://www.deerkisshollowjewelry.com/2014updates.htm
Mama bluebird bringing a worm back to the nest
It was hard to believe there were actually EIGHT swallows in this nest. The only way to tell was to count beaks. Their hard-working parents sure had their beaks full trying to get enough food to their large brood!
eastern blue bird feeding its yong
Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird landing on a feeder.
a bluebird raised a baby cow bird from a egg that had been laid in its nest by a cow bird
The Eastern Bluebird male needs that mouthful of mealworms to help feed his 5 new babies.
This Eastern Bluebird mother stays busy from sunrise to sunset taking care of her 5 babies.
The Northern Mockingbirds regularly use our Yucca or this Sago Palm as nesting sites. This one is right outside our bay window.
We have really enjoyed watching the Downy or Hairy (could someone help us with that please) Woodpecker family raising their young. Both the male and female have been feeding them from our suet feeder. The babies eagerly wait for their parents to feed and then feed them. It is reality TV at its best.
Bluebirds hatch at different times and here one egg is still waiting.
It’s rare to see the really colorful bluebirds posing like this.
Baby bluebirds were hoping for Mom to return
I’ve been watching this and other Osprey nests along the Columbia River on the WA and OR border. This little family just finished breakfast and ‘Daddy’ is taking off for another round of fishing.
Chickadees have been making their next in this decorative birdhouse on our deck for two years. Last year two chicks left the nest, this year there were three.
It wasn’t hard to get shots of the robin parents. They came to the nest every few minutes all day. Before going to the nest, they would sit on a branch and chirp a sweet repeating sound. I grew to recognize it as meaning, “I’m coming with a snack. I’ll be there in just a minute.”
Northern flickers chose a tree in our front yard for their nest this year. It appears they successfully raised two young ones, one of which shown here. Dad did most of the feedings that we witnessed, but mom was never far away. Both of the babies fledged and the nest vacated within days of capturing this image.
For the third consecutive year the Barred Owls raised a family in our back yard nest box, after their hollow tree fell. They have now raised a total of eleven right outside our back windows.
One evening my husband Ron called me and said “The woodpecker is teaching her baby to eat the woodpecker suet cake!!!”
Baby Hummingbird being fed by mother bird. Had fledged only about a day earlier. Notice the short tail and bill, also the fluff is still there.
Brown Thrasher [Toxostoma rufum] New Hatchings. Our eyes are closed, but we’re still hungry.
Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum
Just happened to open a nest box in my yard and there they were. What a nice surprise!
This baby American Tree Swallow had just fledged and landed on the wire where the male was feeding him.
House wren entering nest in a gourd hanging in syringa philadelphus in back garden of urban area.
Male Eastern Bluebird bringing a stinkbug back to the nesting box for the kids.
Canon 200mm 2.8 and 2X extender + 500mm 5.6, Tripod and remote in one hand, binoculars in the other hand.
Wren feeding a spider.
I also have bat motels on the house. 7 years and I have yet to see one Bat! Very sad situation.
3 days to get this great picture!
Male Tree Swallow bringing one of his babies a dragonfly. I can not believe how many dragonflies they bring back to their young. It was non-stop and they ate every one.
The parents came to feed the two youngsters about once every hour. The young fledged about ten days after this photo was taken.
These baby snowy egrets need fattening up! They have no problem making their demands known, either.
One of three northern flicker families that visit our house
Kid’s submission. Photo of baby cardinals in nest found by Logan (age 6) in the bushes one morning. While bird watching at 6:00 a.m., he noticed a mother and father cardinal entering and leaving a nest repeatedly. When he peeked in the branches he saw these babies. The mother cardinal flew out at him, which was quite a surprise. Sister Brooke (8) helped monitor the nest, and watch the parents fly in and out for feedings. One day, when the babies were older one of them actually hopped out of the nest and startled her.
Rookery at Ken Thompson Park on Sarasota Bay. 3 nestlings impatient to wait their turn for a feeding. If you look close you can see another GBH peeking at what was going on through the leaves.
These baby Eastern Kingbirds were hungry. Their mom was sitting above them on a branch with a nice juicy bug, they couldn’t wait for her to bring it in.
Every time the male blue jay would arrive to the nest with food he’d first give the female some of the food, they’d then both feed the nestlings together.
Watching nests is a fascinating and quite a learning experience. I’ve watched several different nests over the last couple years but had never found a blue jay nest – which is one I’ve really wanted to find – they hide their nests so well, as is evident in the photo I’ve chosen here. When I came across this nest late May of this year I was over the moon happy and the best part was that I hadn’t really missed that much because I discovered it just a few days after they had hatched. Every day I visited the nest and stayed for hours recording video, and just observing what they do. Luckily for me the pair know me very well and have for the last 3 years so they had no trouble with me being there whatsoever. What I liked the most was that the nest was no where near the neighborhood and was very far into the local woods. This made for a very nice setting. For me, this nest has been one of the most interesting and fun to watch, the way they work together as a team is beautiful. I can’t help but to admire all the hard work they put into it!
A pair of roadrunners built a nest in our yard and I observed the entire process from nest building to raising and feeding the young. Five babies successfully fledged. Both parents tirelessly brought in lizards to feed the chicks. Lots of lizards. This is a Whiptail Lizard – and yes, the chicks swallow it whole, always head first, and the tail may stick out of the bill for awhile until the front part of the lizard digests.
Female Pileated Woodpecker feeding nestling.
Pileated Woodpecker mama feeding nestling.
Pair of Pileated Woodpeckers feeding nestlings.
Mama Nuthatch brought her babies near the feeder and fed them, now they are coming on their own.
Father Cardinal feeding his female fledgling!
Fledgling still being fed my his mother
This adult eagle had just dropped a fish into the nest, then landed above it to see if the eaglets would feed themselves.
Momma bird build a very strange nest in the wishing well where I usually put flowers but hadn’t gotten to it this year. She laid 3 eggs and sat on them for what seemed like a long time. This is right off our back door and we have enjoyed watching and taking pictures of the whole thing. The parents are beautiful and very good care givers. We have been bird watchers for years and this is the first I have seen the Thrasher much less have them entertain us for the summer.
Tree Swallow Nestlings Begging Just Before Arrival of Parent
When the Mulberry tree blooms these Orioles feast all day.
Taken at Broadmoor Audubon Sanctuary. The pole is holding up a nest box. There were two chicks in the box but the chick sitting on top was getting all the food.
An Anna’s Hummingbird mother feeds her hatchlings at Arcata Marsh
This is Daddy Bluebird exiting the nesting box after feeding the babies.
This is our bluebird box in May of 2014. I would stand rather close to the box once I saw the Mom and Dad Bluebird go in to feed the brood. Then I would snap the photos on their way out.
Piping plover chick trying to figure out how to handle this big mouthful!
I was very lucky to be able to see this wonderful display of family among birds, with the Mother Crow feeding the baby Crow.
I have been following this family of Crows since the baby was just out of the egg. I was treated to this wonderful display of this Mother Crow feeding her baby. The Mother Crow actually found a bone and was taking the meat off the bone to feed the baby. Quite the site to see.
This spring I was fortunate enough to watch a Brown Thrasher family in a local Master Gardener public garden. I first notice two fledglings in the undergrowth and one of them seem to be very interest in me. A few minutes later, the fledgling flew up to a branch in a small ornamental tree and one of the parents joined it. The dappled light through the young leaves gave me enough light to get this photo. If you look closely, you will see some type of insect in the parent’s mouth. The parent flew off and the fledgling hopped around the tree limbs and would check me out every time he moved. I was sitting on a bench about twelve feet away. I think we both enjoyed the moment.
4 babies inside of this little house. First time we have seen Chickadees nest here. Usually it has been wrens.
Eastern Bluebirds taken on 06/28/14. There are four total nestlings. This is the second brood of the season from what I assume to be the same parents. There is no missing the target for those Goldenrod colored mouths!
Baby blue jay begging to be fed
parent bringing in a fish for dinner. I think they had a snack on the way in
The eaglets are getting pretty big now and most of the time a parent drops a fish and they feed themselves. Fun to see the parent still feeding them
Photo taken through window plus screen. Sadly, two crows ravished the nest the day after this was taken. The pair is now nesting again nearby with for more eggs beginning to hatch. Two cow bird eggs are in the old nest (photograph) but not being incubated.
This nest is only 4 feet from the ground and right by the road. The chicks were quiet, and I didn’t notice them or the nest. Then a parent showed up with lunch. The noise these little ones can make!!!
I have been so lucky to follow this Bald Eagle family, 3 healthy eaglets! What wonderful parents they have. They just brought in a fish and are feeding the eaglets.
Taken at a Skimmer’s colony on the beach.
I watched these babies from egg to flight!