Hungry Mouths To Feed

On June 30 I posted photos of two Bluebird nest boxes which contained lovely blue eggs. Well, they hatched. I haven’t opened the boxes, but the parents of both nests are taking food to their young.

We refer to the next box in the front yard by the little orchard as Matt’s box. Matt is a client of ours who sent us a hand-made box when he learned that I enjoy wild birds. This photo is of the mother bird with a small insect in her mouth – a meal for one of her babies.

As I was patiently waiting for mama Bluebird to show up, this Killdeer flew in to the yard, near the driveway, to nab a bit to eat.

• 

• 

Then, it was off to the meadows, where there are always interesting developments. But, I always make time to visit several specific locations where I expect to see certain birds – including different nest sites we have offered.

Sham’s Paddock South: This couple is very active near their box – they hunt within yards of it – so I always visit that location. As I was waiting on the birds to arrive, I caught these two brilliantly colored beetles on a clover flower.

Next, I encountered a Bluebird couple that I often observe in a location where the only boxes we’ve put up were taken over by House Wrens. This is the area near the old Herding A trial field. It’s possible they are the birds that just recently started in a nest on the East Central box that I cleared of House Wren development last week. The following photo is that nest that I filmed yesterday. It doesn’t appear to be complete, yet. And, it’s a good 400 feet from where typically see these birds. So, it’s hard to say.

Oh, and if you are worried about the House Wren population around here, it’s doing fine. They are raising or raised broods in five different boxes that we offered, and I noticed a House Wren going in and out of a torn corner of the eaves of our old house the other day, too. I hear them singing constantly.

Here’s that couple that I see quite often in the by the old A field. The male has a large insect that he smashed on the fence post. It makes me think they have young somewhere. The female apperas to be supervising.

Then, I was off to the North Central box. it’s a good 600 feet from the couple above. It in a very remote location – I suppose that is only my human perspective. It’s far from activity like a road, buildings our our house, for example. Through direct observation (opening the box), we’ve seen the nest and the eggs. But, except for one time when the bird flew out when we were just entering the area, I haven’t seen them. Yesterday made up for all the time I spent out there waiting in the sun (because there’s no shade in that location.)

First, it appeared that the couple was “excited.” They were flitting about together in the mature trees that are about thirty feet from their box.

When I was in biology class in college, I learned that is wasn’t appropriate to anthropomorphize. That is the act of assigning human traits to animals. However, real life sometimes forces a person to take sides or reject previous dogma. I remember standing in a dark, cold barn awaiting the arrival of a little lamb. I watched that ewe struggle for hours. When her babe finally arrived and she heard its voice for the first time, well let me just suggest that it would be inhuman not to recognize the clear and obvious similarities between animals and humans. After all, humans are animals. We all share so much in common, it only makes sense to recognize those similarities. I saw that joy in the Bluebirds, yesterday. I saw their enthusiasm, for lack of a better term, over the hatching of their chicks. And, I saw a mother’s concern and care. So, let me simply be a human, here. Accept, tolerate or reject (but do not judge) my interpretation of what I observed – as a human is likely to do. My female human filter is presented to you in all its glory or abomination.

Mama: “You are NOT going to give that little chick that BIG insect without cutting it, are you???”

Papa: “I didn’t hear that. You’d think she doesn’t believe I can take care of my own kids.”

Papa: “Kids I brought you something to eat!”

Mama: “He never listens to me.”

Papa: “Kid’s open wide! This is delicious!”

Papa: “Dang, she was right. This isn’t going to fit into those small mouths!”

Mama: “Where are you going, hun? Something wrong with that food?”

I mean….. let’s face it. I think that really went down. I wish these new parents luck raising their little brood! I will be sure to keep an eye on progress and provide updates.