Sharing Mealworms

More dad, Please!!

We have two baby Pileated Woodpeckers. It was been a hoot watching these two. I had no idea they could be comical.

A Fine Catch

This eaglet’s nest was built many years ago during the off season over a small campground along the Susquehanna River. The adults have successfully fledged 2-3 eaglets per year for many years despite the return of the humans each spring.

grasshopper – it’s what’s for dinner

female eastern bluebird bringing a grasshopper to the nest as male bluebird keeps a lookout

Patience….

This nestbox was on a trail I monitored. I noticed the youngster just starting to peek out the entrance as the parents landed on top with a meal.

Dinner’s here!

This was photographed in a state park, which has several outdoor shelters. Barn swallows always build a dozen or more nests in each shelter, so this was a matter of picking the shelter with the most active parents.

Mother kestrel feeding her four babies

A female kestrel (who we named Kessie) feeds her four baby kestrels. Via a webcam installed in the nest box, we watched them eat mice, small lizards and snakes, and grasshoppers. All four (three males and a female) survived and successfully fledged within a month of hatching and come back periodically to harass the other local birds. More pictures of the kestrels, and silly commentary, are @tkestrels on Twitter.

Open wide

White-Breasted Nuthatch feeding time.

Lunch and a bath

Lunch has arrived

Dad feeding the little ones.

This is an Eastern Bluebird feeding the little ones. This is the first time I have seen a Bluebird nesting naturally in a tree, and not in a bird house. Being an architect I loved the fact that the fungus acts as a roof over the entry.

mother has dinner

Mother Robin feeding her two young in the nest at our front door.

Me first!

Three young eastern kingbirds just out of the nest are ready for on-the-fly delivery of their next meal.

Osprey Feeding Time

Bon Appetit for Hoobaby

Mama Hoodini flying in with supper for Hoobaby. Mama had a certain tree she would land in to survey the area before flying with food to the nest and then later to the Hoobaby when outside the nest.

Fast Food Delivery

Working a golf tournament with several bird houses scattered throughout the fescue, I thought I saw a head poking out of one of the boxes. I grabbed my camera and zoomed in and while trying to focus on the little one, something flew into and out of the lens view very quickly. I just automatically clicked the shutter when it flew into the view of the lens but had no idea what it was till I played back the photo!

Overwhelmed Mom

Children can be so demanding, and this Bluebird Mom’s expression, seemed to say it all!

1st brood fledglings eating daily treat.

Eastern bluebird first fledglings,with papa on guard, eating daily wax worm treats.

Breakfast Time

What about me up here?

Tree swallow babies being fed

I’m hungry Mommy!

Carolina chickadee

Feeding Time

Fresh Catch

A Common Loon feeds her young on Long Lake in Northern Minnesota

Dinner at last!

Doesn´t this look familiar? After several weeks of birdwatching at a distance the ash-throated flycatcher´s family tree nest, these hard-to-spot fellows finally rewarded me with this scene.

First Feeding

This male mourning dove feeds his hour old hatchling for the first time. He also is sitting on a second egg, which hasn’t hatched, yet. The adult’s head bobbed up and down during the feeding; the hatchling following the movement. The body of the adult was heaving as well; regurgitating. I have read that this regurgitation is the production of “pigeon’s milk” for the youngling.

Majestic Bald Eagle tenderly feeding its Eaglet

This photo was taken from a far distance with a 600mm lens so as not to disturb this active nest. I was thrilled to come upon this spectacular sight of our majestic national bird so gently feeding its newly hatched chick. From what I was told, the chick was approximately 11 days old. It is amazing how gentle they are for such a large bird. This was a once in a lifetime experience for me and I am thrilled that I was able to capture this image.

Open Wide it’s Breakfast Time!!!

So thrilled to have Eastern Bluebirds nesting in my yard for the first time. I am happy to say that three babies fledged successfully on July 22nd. I took this photo from a far distance with a 600mm lens so I did not disturb them. This picture is of the Male feeding his young. I was amazed at what great parents these Bluebirds were. It was a thrill to watch this entire nesting experience from the day the male went into the house, brought back the female and fledged 3 precious little ones

Black-Shouldered Kite Brings a Gopher to Her Chicks

At Natural Bridges State Beach,Santa Cruz, CA, a Black-Shouldered Kite brings food to her four hungry chicks throughout the day. Food sources include gophers, voles, small snakes, lizards, small birds, crickets, and beetles. While she brings most of the food to her brood, her mate watches over them from a distance, atop a tall tree, on the lookout for crows and other hawks. These youngsters will probably fledge within the next two weeks. Photographed July 20, 2016. [I prefer the original name for this species – I’m old school.]

Hungry Babies

This was the first nest box that had babies the year we moved into our house. There were 3 loud babies and all wanted that morsel mamma Sparrow had.

Mealtime

Father House Finch brought his babies to the feeder on numerous occasions; in this picture they waited on our porch railing and he fed them faithfully. I love the way this picture exaggerated their wing quivering. They seemed very hungry!

Feeding time

Feeding time at the Oriole nest

Hungry Tree Swallow

This youngster was very adamant about getting fed. Right after this the parent flew by and dumped a wasp-like insect into the youngster’s mouth.

We are hungry !

Male Western Bluebird feeding 2 of his 4 fledglings.

Least Tern feeding its chick.

Hundreds of Least Tern’s nests are present in the Lest Tern Preserve in Huntington beach CA.

Northern Flicker Family

While watching nesting loons, I kept hearing squeaky noises behind me. I turned my kayak toward the shoreline and saw this Northern Flicker feeding chicks!

Yes, Please!

One of two loon chicks eagerly accepts a minnow from its parent. In this image, its only two days old, born on July 11th. I was amazed to see how much it can eat!

Where’s Mama?

Just off my porch in TN I swung my camera towards the hedges and saw this hungry baby waiting for food!!

Feeding time

Cardinal feeding baby

This One’s For You

The pair of grebes nested early because the weather was so mild I presume and the babies were swimming in the pond in January. It was very lucky because this pond was the one which developers decided to fill in to allow for apartments (don’t get me started) and therefore many of the birds have had to vacate and find new places start their nest. The parent grebes were kept very busy feeding their brood of four and I was amazed at the size of the catches that they were able to down. This particular catch was not one of the larger ones but I liked the gentleness of the passing from mother to baby. Picture taken in January, 2016.

Waiting patiently

I sat down to rest at a gazebo in Fountain Creek Regional Park. When I looked up, I saw the nest and photographed it for half an hour. Momma Wren kept bringing food for the babies, resting, and then flying off for another worm or caterpillar.

Got it!

I sat down to rest at a gazebo in Fountain Creek Regional Park. When I looked up, I saw the nest and photographed it for half an hour. Momma Wren kept bringing food for the babies, resting, and then flying off for another worm or caterpillar.

Take off

I sat down to rest at a gazebo in Fountain Creek Regional Park. When I looked up, I saw the nest and photographed it for half an hour. Momma Wren kept bringing food for the babies, resting, and then flying off for another worm or caterpillar.

Wren meal delivery

I sat down to rest at a gazebo in Fountain Creek Regional Park. When I looked up, I saw the nest and photographed it for half an hour. Momma Wren kept bringing food for the babies, resting, and then flying off for another worm or caterpillar.

Osprey Meal Time

Parent and juvenile enjoying some fish while the other parent sits nearby.

Warmest Welcome

A baby Least Tern is very happy to see it parent return to the colony with a fish.

Dinner arriving!

I was thrilled to observe this Osprey bringing a fish to it’s chick,

The last day feeding chicks in the box

Within the last days before the tree swallow chicks fledge, the adults will perch nearby to call to the chicks before flying off to hunt for insects. In response to the adults the chicks, within one day of fledging, they will come to the opening of the nest box to call for food.

Feeding the Hungry

Season after season Tree swallows raise their babies up in the vent, on the outer wall, several feet above the ground. With ruptured tendons in my legs I cannot climb a ladder. I take photos in morning, mid day and the evenings. Tree swallows are the swiftest birds I have ever seen. I take photos With my camera with telephoto lens mounted on a tripod. Devout parents take turn to incubate and feed. Look at the hungry babies with wide open mouths and the parent feeding.

Off I Go

Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Ole Barn Knoll. Red-naped Sapsucker sharing parental duty to feed the nestlings.

Always ready!

This little bird sat here with it’s mouth open, even when it’s parents weren’t around. I’d say he’s a planner! Always ready!

Violet Green Swallow Feeding in Oregon

An awesome sequence of a Violet Green Swallow feeding its baby. This photo sequence was taken in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon. The last shot says “satisfaction”.

Why Did the Spruce Grouse Cross the Road?

A spruce grouse hen led her chicks down our gravel road to peck up grit.

Hungry Birds

This is a Carolina Wren nest containing 4 eggs. Only two hatched. I believe the two are actually Cowbirds, but momma and dad are diligent parents feeding both relentlessly.

Breakfast, With Love

We arrived on location before sunrise and quietly, gently stayed a safe distance from this burrowing owl family’s artificial plastic burrow. In the first few minutes the parent owls kept occasional glances toward our direction while the chicks were openly curious and stared at us with their huge, round eyes. However, they were pretty soon convinced that we were not a threat and thus went on with their daily routines. With more than a handful of chicks in the family, daddy owl worked quite hard to feed all of his hungry babies. He repeatedly flew to the nearby fields to catch crickets then hurriedly flew back to the nest and fed them to the waiting chicks. This photograph captured one such caring moment between a parent and child.

Open wide!

American redstart feeds mayflies to young nestling.

Fresh catch of the day

Very first photos with new camera – upgrade from cellphone. Female Belted Kingfisher with her fresh catch. I observed her together on a limb with a male during the same visit to the marsh.

Blues lunch

Red-headed Woodpecker feeding

A Red headed Woodpecker nest at feeding time, both male and female share the feeding.

Feeding time for baby robins

Babies always ready to eat when a parent shows up

Hungry again

Adult red-shouldered hawk with babies about 3 days old

Feeding time

a water cock feeding her babies

We\’re ready Mom !

Breakfast Delivery

This bluebird box sits in our front yard. This shot is from June – the 2nd brood of 2016.

Red tail Hawk

This is a photo of the adult Red tail Hawk during feeding time.The photo was taken from the third floor of the public through the window without disturbance to the nest which is in a pine tree.As depicted in this photo,the adult already has some food in the beak to begin feeding each eyas.

Mom!?!

Piliated Woodpecker Nestlings

Hungry

What’s for supper?

I heard a commotion in a tree as I was walking in Reynolda Gardens in Winston-Salem. I discovered three tufted titmice clamoring for attention from their parents. The parents were both nearby and getting food to the three as quickly as they could. I was able to capture this image of one of the babies being fed in the afternoon sunlight.

Adult Wrens Sharing A Meal

Here, one adult Wren is feeding its mate a tasty meal of fresh spider while the mate tends to their brood of hatchlings…

“Feeding Time”

Adult Wren brings supper back to her peeps, with their wide-open little maws, who are pleading at the nest box opening…

Pacific-slope Flycatcher Chicks

These Pacific-slope Flycatcher chicks see mom with a bill full of insects!

Hungry Mouths

American Robins build a nest on the downspout under the eaves in the front of our home. From our front porch we could watch the progress from building to nesting to hatching. In this photo four little ones call out for one of their parents to return and feed their hungry mouths.

Mouth Full

American Robins built a nest on the light fixture on the side of our shed. From our patio door we could watch the progress from nesting to feeding to leaving. In this photo one of the parents arrives with a mouthful of worms as the as the hungry little ones call out, “Feed me first”.

Red-bellied dad and junior

This summer, we’ve had two pairs of red-bellied woodpeckers feeding fledglings around our property. I was lucky to be sitting outside early one morning when this male brought one of his offspring to a nearby birch tree to feed it. Watching birds care for their young is always magical.

Great-crested Flycatcher

Great-crested Flycatcher feeding young in a box on our property

Male Cardinal feeding a fledgling

Daddy was busy keeping this big baby fed

Wood Duck brood

The female wood duck brought her brood out to feed in the grasses along the shore of the beaver pond

Open wide!

Fledgling Eastern Bluebird being fed a mealworm by dad

Brand new bluebirds

From 5 eggs, 4 Eastern Bluebird hatchlings.

Me first, Mom!

4 bluebird juveniles on the mealworm feeder with Mom.

A cricket breakfast

A mother Wren feeding a full cricket to the kids

Feeding Time

After sitting still for about an hour, I managed to gain the parents’ trust…long enough to snap this beautiful picture!

Fluff feeds her chicks

Fluff, an Anna’s Hummingbird, feeds her chicks shortly after they hatched. The chicks are about the size of raisins and require gentle feeding every half hour or so to ensure they grow into young healthy birds.

Daddy House Finch

A female House Finch laid her eggs in an abandoned House Swallow nest. Five babies emerged and Mom darted out and in relentlessly feeding her young family. Yet it was so rewarding to see Daddy joining in the feeding process a few times a day too.

Feed Me

Egrets Feeding

Taken at Gatorland, a world class rookery in Orlando. These egrets are enjoying a fine fish dinner.

American Goldfinch (Male)

Pheeding the Phoebes

Thanks Dad.

Baby Eastern Bluebird that is the lucky recipient of the bugs Dad hunted.

Copyright Barb D’Arpino

Hungry here!

I came upon three baby Eastern Bluebirds all vying for the food Dad was out hunting for. This was one of the lucky ones that Dad fed (see next picture). Even though they were able to fly, they like to milk the baby thing.

Feeding Four

This antler nest on our garage was built last summer. It was reused this year and produced four chicks!

Snake for lunch

Lunch Time

These newly fledged Tree Swallows were still being fed by their parents. This was a very windy day; not a good day for newly fledged Swallows to be trying to catch their own food. The parents were very busy catching insects and feeding these fledglings. I watched several feedings before getting this one where the adult does not land. What was even more interesting was no matter which adult was feeding, all the babies got an even share.

Where’s the sushi?

Breakfast

Osprey bringing flounder to the nest to feed four rapidly growing and soon to fledge nestlings

lunch time

Young robin wanting to be fed .

Feed me Feed me I am starving daddy.

This Juvenile Hairy woodpecker would eat from the feeder till dad showed up then would cry till he fed him, I think that is why he is so much bigger then dad, pops is wearing himself out feeding a Hungry son who can feed himself.

Breakfast is ready!

Fledged Robin following mom for food.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology