Piper
Baby piping plover chick ventures out from the safety of the nest and spreads it’s wings.
Baby bluebird peeking out
Whoo Are You?
Great Horned Owl nestling at Castaway Island Park.
:Curious Kids
A pair of Roseate Spoonbill fledglings peek out at what is going on around them in the rookery. Sadly, the pond that surrounds their home has a very large alligator that has made a quick meal of more than one fledgling that’s either slipped or been pushed out of the nest and into the water.
A baby Robin just getting ready to fly out of the tree his nest was in.
I was able to observe a nest of Robins in a tree right up until they fledged. This picture was taken only a couple of ours before this last Robin flew out of the tree.
Out of the nest
This photo was taken within a few hours of the chicks leaving the nest. The chick was able to fly over 20′, but couldn’t land on a branch. Landing on a log was fine. The photo was taken on the evening of 7/25. The chicks were hiding until one was spotted in a patch of clover on the morning of 7/31. It had grown tail feathers, but didn’t seem to understand it should be looking for food. The parents are still gathering food for them, and chasing other robins and Steller’s Jays out of the area. The parents are the most protective pair of robins I’ve had nest around my house, even chasing squirrels and a rabbit away from the nest area. They were more tolerant of dogs and people, though they vocalized their displeasure if a person got within 10′ of the nest. This is the second brood for this pair of robins this season, reusing the same nest.
Mom back yet?
Whoooo Are Youoooo?
I was walking through our friends’ pasture in MN when an adult Great Horned Owl swooped down ten feet from me and caught a Garter Snake about two feet long! Watching it, the owl led me to the owlets and I was able to capture this photo.
A Bit Ruffled Up
When I spotted this immature sparrow sitting on our stair railing, I took a few photos.
Serene Siblings
I was wandering along a trail by a river when the beautiful evening light that was casting a golden glow on these ducklings caught my eye.
A Moment of Peace
This duckling in pretty evening light caught my eye as I was wandering along a trail by a river.
Baby Goldfinch
Another Cute Baby Carolina Wren.
I saw this cute baby Carolina Wren on top of a pile of more baby Carolina Wrens (his brothers and sisters). By the time I got my camera they were everywhere! He flew next to me and I took some cute pics of him.
Curious baby owls
These three baby Western Screech-Owls were looking out of their nest cavity and wondering what human passers-by were doing along Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail in Lafayette, California. They fledged the next day.
Grandpa
This is a baby eastern bluebird waiting for it’s parents to bring food. It fledged a soon after this picture.
Beligerant Baby Blue Jay
This baby Blue Jay was not the least bit intimidated by my dog barking at it.
White-crowned Sparrow Fledgling
Pink and Fluffy Cuteness
There is always a lot of excitement at the Smith Oaks Rookery at High Island, Texas in the spring. These three Roseate Spoonbill chicks looked like they were competing for attention from their parent.
Just Fledged Cooper’s Hawk
A Cooper’s hawk has been nested in my neighborhood for 2 years. One day, I was photographing in my backyard when I heard the immature hawk calling its parent. I grabbed my camera gear and found him around the corner perched in my neighbor’s pine tree.
What’s delaying my dinner?
A juvenile falcon that was flapping and screaming up a racket on its cliff-edge perch.
At Sunrise
I have been privileged to follow the development of this chick from the day it started to peck its way out of the egg. Here it is eight days old.
This photo was taken at sunrise from my kayak.
Juvenile Mockingbird
Mockingbird
Robin fledgling
Eurasian Collared-Dove Family!
In April, I followed the progress of a Collared-Dove family that took up residence in my pine tree in the front yard. I watched them build a nest, incubate eggs, and feed their squabs.
The parent doves liked us so much that they moved their new nest even closer to us on our property to raise more babies!
Red neck grebe takes a ride!
The red-necked grebes have had a difficult summer along the shore of Lake Ontario at Toronto this year. This is the only baby that survived both human and animal interference. I think it looks like it has aviator goggles on. It was 5 days old here.
Comes out running
Killdeer chick
Baby Canyon Wren
A pair of Canyon Wrens make our barn their home. They typically have 2 or 3 sets of babies each year. This baby just left the nest a day earlier.
Dove Chick
Cute Baby Carolina Wren.
I saw this cute baby Carolina Wren playing hide and seek with his six other brothers and sisters, but he never knew where to hide!
Baby Magpie Robins
Junco baby birds!
A ride, please!
This juvenile Eastern Bluebird had a sweet teasing expression and seemed to be appealing for someone to play and give it a ride in the wagon.
Tiny Perfection
This tiny Hooded Merganser duckling is about one week old. It is one of a brood of a dozen. They have spent the first weeks of their life following and learning from their mama on a quiet beaver pond.
Last Day in the Nest
Deer-blind baby owls
Gosling
One of the many Goslings at Esther Simplot Park.
Cute baby mallard explores lake wallenpaupack.
When I went out on lake wallenpaupack for a while, I met 4 female mallards and one had five little ones with her so I took lots of pics of the cuties!
Cute babies
Eastern Phoebe babies
These Eastern Phoebe babies were in a nest right above the front door of the building that I work in. It was so exciting to see the parents build the nest, care for the eggs and feed the little ones.
Bluebird chick caught napping
Our Nestwatch chapter helped a nearby professor in her bluebird banding project. This study included measuring and weighing the banded chicks. This particular chick dozed off while being weighed.
Little Forest Dreamer
This sweet young Northern Spotted Owl is listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. This baby is about 6 – 8 weeks old and was resting peacefully on a late July afternoon. Since they sometimes land on the ground, it is important to keep unleashed dogs out of any areas where these owls are nesting, as well as to refrain from using any rodenticides that will indirectly poison these and other birds of prey. Exact locations of nesting threatened birds should not be posted publically.
Northern Flicker Babies
I came across this nest hole and its three little residents in a dead palm tree while driving up a country road. I was amazed at how patiently the three young flickers were…they often waited a long time for one of their parents to arrive. This tree was also the home of European Starling babies and a young ground squirrel. I hope it doesn’t get cut down!
Testing the Wild
This young Green Heron just came out of the nest and was testing his new environment. He seemed very good on his feet but not so good with his wings.
Close to Mom
There was a light rain and these goslings found the shelter of their mother as I was watchinig from a distance.
Eastern Bluebirds about to Fledge
I spotted this natural cavity with eastern bluebirds while on vacation. I was able to observe them for a few days. This photo was taken the day they fledged.
Salad bar
Baby geese foraging
Mirror Mirror
My mission this season was to capture images of Piping Plover chicks. During my search I happened to spy a family of Piping Plovers with 4 chicks. I was allowed by the adults to spend the day with this family in this little area that had an abundance of fly larva hatching. This image is of the chick picking a larva in the still pool. Shot with 600mm lens laying in the sand.
Cute hungry babies of magpie robin
Cute hunger
Anticipation
A pair of pileated woodpecker chicks eagerly await the arrival of a parent with a tasty meal of bugs. They were perfectly posed when I snapped this shot.
Day-old killdeer
A killdeer chick, less than 24 hours old, is already able to run about and forage for itself.
Mom’s taxi service
A female pied-billed grebe gives her chicks a ride back to the nest after a hard day on the pond…
It’s a Big World Out There
A young Great Crested Flycatcher gets a first look at the big world outside the nesting box.
American Kestrel Wired In
This newly fledged American Kestrel managed to make it to a barbed wire fence where he was able to rest from his first flight endeavor. I am sure this won’t be the last wire that he sits on.
Solo Wren Fledgling Finally Leaving Nest
This little wren fledgling was the only one of the clutch of eggs to hatch. The nest was inside our tool shed, up high on the wall, and when the baby left the nest it stayed in the shed for a day before making his way outside. The parent wrens came to feed it and tried to coax it outside the shed, but this little one took its time.
Hungry Anna’s Hummingbird Fledgling
This still slightly fuzzy, and very noisy, fledgling Anna’s Hummingbird is begging mom for more food.
Baby Hooded Oriole
This photo was taken the day before this young hooded oriole fledged from its nest in one of our California Fan Palms. I enjoyed watching it grow from a needy, fuzzy-headed, hatchling to a beautiful, yellow, nestling.
Chick of Paddy-field Pipit
Brown-headed Cowbird in Phoebe Nest
baby male cardinal
a baby male Cardinal leaves the nest
A Perfect Circle
While checking bluebird nest boxes, we found these six mountain bluebird nestlings arranged in a perfect circle. Our local Audubon chapter has maintained and monitored this bluebird trail of 100 boxes for over 40 years.
Taking it all in.
Juvenile great egret at Kiwanis Lake, York, PA
Grumpy Baby Blue
Follow the leader
Ready for Takeoff
A young Burrowing Owl stretches its wings as dusk approaches.
Baby Drongo
Baby Drongo
The Drongo fledglings that lived in our backyard were, as you can see, very curious. I had been trying to capture this shot for a long time, and while I was out one day he very nicely turn his head to me just as I snapped this picture.
Mallard Duckling
Moments before fledging
Fledging
Front Porch Family
Pictures were taken out the front door hiding behind wreath on the door.
Front Porch Family
Pictures were taken out the front door hiding behind wreath on the door.
Hungry Tree Swallow nestling.
Eager Tree Swallow nestlings
Mama’s boy
a female wood duck with her baby, who’s learning everything from mama
Preening barred owlet
While on a hike, I found a barred owl family. I captured this picture of an owlet in the midst of preening, curiously watching me the whole time.
Happily Branching
Bobolink fledglings in the fog
Two Egret Cuties
Two newly hatched Egret nestlings with BIG HAIR
Comparing Notes
I visited the wild bird rookery at St. Augustine in May when the Wood Storks, Great Egrets and Spoonbills all had nestlings. I am always surprised at how close together different species nest in rookeries. These two nests (wood storks above and great egrets below) were only maybe 24 inches apart. But the nestlings didn’t seem to mind, and the business of feeding hungry babies went off without a hitch.
Eastern Screetch Owlet Peering out of Box
Ready to go . . .
Juvenile Anna’s hummingbirds
These babies were about 24 days old. Unwilling to leave their nest. Mom was getting anxious and making attempts to encourage them to test out their new flying gears! It was very fun to watch them for 27 days! Sweet experiences and memories for me.
Mother Keeping Guard
Hello World!
This nestling swallow was waiting for dinner and also checking out the big scary world. This baby and his 4 siblings were attacked by a house sparrow before they were able to fledge. Fortunately I saw this happen and was able to rush the babies to a bird rehabber. Three of the five babies were later released after they had fledge and grown strong enough.
I’m so cute!
Waiting for parent to come and feed me.
Juvenile burrowing owls’ drama
This is my first time photographing burrowing owls. It was such a delight to watch their expressions!!!!
Bay Great Blue Herons
baby goat blue herons in a rookery in Tampa Bay
Northern Cardinal
Baby Wood Duck
BABY PAINTED BUNTINGS ENJOYING THEIR FIRST BATH.
Every year I look forward to seeing the newly fledged babies bathe for the first bath. Such a pleasure to watch.
Baby tree sparrow
Crowded nest
Black skimmer chick
A colony of black skimmers nests along Wrightsville Beach NC. At the time this photo was taken, most of the black skimmer babies had fledged and were learning to fly and hunt on their own. However a couple younger chicks were still present among the other birds in the colony. This young black skimmer chick was left to fend for itself while the parents hunted for fish.
Barn Swallow Fledlings
These young barn swallows were waiting for the parents to return with food. Although they have grown in all their feathers, the fuzzy tufts on their heads remained giving them a comical appearance.
Cute is more than skin deep
Visiting the historic Fulltofta Kyrka in Sweden when we stumbled upon the Storkprojektets största hägn.
baby hummingbird
a baby hummingbird on its first flight
cutest baby
This family of Eastern Bluebirds nested in my terra cotta birdhouse this spring. I never expected bluebirds to choose it and I am thrilled they did! They were a mated pair and another female that I assume is from a clutch from last year. They all three took turns feeding and watching over the nestlings until they fledged a week later.