We've had quite the population explosion in our garden this spring. So many birds and nests. Seems like way more than year's past.
Not to mention the chipmunks! We are overrun with them!
We had a Bluebird couple build a beautiful nest in the nesting box. Unfortunately, the Wrens harassed them to the point that they gave up and never laid eggs.
We had an Indigo Bunting stop by a few times. He seemed to flock together with the gold finches. I have never seen one before. I felt lucky to be able to get a picture.
The Chickadees nested in our other nest box. They always start a little bit earlier than the bluebirds, and so a few years ago, we put up a second box so we could have both birds nest. They make such a lovely soft spot for their babies to start life.
We've always had Cardinals in our yard, but never had a nest visible. A pair decided to build a nest right at eye level in the hemlocks along my driveway, a high foot traffic area as it is near the entrance to my veggie garden, our trash cans, garage, and right next to my parking spot. I kept hearing her wings flapping every time I would go near. I finally thought to look for a nest one day and there it was! Plain as day!
May 11, 2016
I got a picture of the eggs while she was off the nest. Just an iPhone shot, so not the best color. I wish I would have gotten more pictures, of the eggs, but I didn't want to bother her.
May 14
The reason I wish I had gotten better pictures, is that after awhile, the eggs hatched and I noticed that one egg was kicked out of the nest. Only the one on the edge of the nest was white with brown speckles instead of greenish with brown speckles. I think there were a couple of brown headed cowbird eggs added to the clutch. These silly birds lay their eggs in other birds nests. Sometimes the host birds, take notice and evict the parasites and sometimes they don't and just raise those babies too. This Cardinal couple did not want to raise the cowbirds.
Two baby cardinals hatched. I'm not sure exactly when, but I took this picture on May 20.
So cute and awkward. Feed me!
Today, I was just puttering around the garden and back patio, and I must have happened to walk near the nest just after one of the babies fledged. He was awkwardly flapping on the driveway. I ran and grabbed my camera. By the time I got back he was safely in the tree. He's already got the distinctive Cardinal crest.
May 27
So happy we have two more Cardinals in the world. I hope they stick around. There's still two unhatched eggs in the nest and one unhatched egg hanging on the rim. I guess they don't all make it to hatching. From what I've read, mama and papa will start on another brood right away.
Jen