Baby Cardinals in tomato plt

[MissS]

Originally Posted by Scooty

Cardinals, next to Grosbeaks, are probably the most vicious and cantankerous of all songbirds I've ever had the misfortune to meet. Give me a hummingbird any day of the week.

Do you really think that hummingbirds are sweet little things??? I have been studying and gardening for them for 30+ years and I find them to be the most aggressive birds that I have ever seen. They are always battling and fighting each other, sometimes even unto the death. I have WARS here during August and September. Cardinals are very peaceful compared to a hummingbird.

[Scooty]

Originally Posted by MissS

Do you really think that hummingbirds are sweet little things??? I have been studying and gardening for them for 30+ years and I find them to be the most aggressive birds that I have ever seen. They are always battling and fighting each other, sometimes even unto the death. I have WARS here during August and September. Cardinals are very peaceful compared to a hummingbird.

Hummingbirds don't try to turn your hands into hamburger. Towards humans, they are probably one of the most docile birds.

[MissS]

Originally Posted by Scooty

Hummingbirds don't try to turn your hands into hamburger. Towards humans, they are probably one of the most docile birds.

Well, birds were not made to be held in hand. If you stopped catching them, they would leave you be....

[ddsack]

Originally Posted by gdaddybill

Still there. The photo isn't as clear and the light was harsh.

Looks like they are napping and putting on a little more down fluff ! Hope they make it through the heat ok.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooty
Hummingbirds don't try to turn your hands into hamburger. Towards humans, they are probably one of the most docile birds.

Well, birds were not made to be held in hand. If you stopped catching them, they would leave you be....

so true!

[Scooty]

Originally Posted by MissS

Well, birds were not made to be held in hand. If you stopped catching them, they would leave you be....

Very true. Conservation work is not for the weary. What's interesting is that this behavior is almost completely unique to cardinals and grosbeaks. Other birds aren't meant to interact with humans that close either, but they don't fuss much if at all. Even owls and hawks aren't so ornery, and those two can do some real damage if they wanted to.

[dustdevil]

Nice photo Bill!

[imp]

Great pictures and thanks for doing conservation work, too, even if your hands get roughed up.

I really like that the cardinals eat hornworms, too!

[SteveP]

They need a little bat to perch on!��

[gdaddybill]

Did a quick check this morning and they were sleeping away. Mom flew by to make sure I wasn't a predator. No time for a picture--will try tomorrow.

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by Scooty

Only ill-tempered to us. Unlike cardinals, Jays have the courage to chase off hawks, but at least, the latter won't try to take a chunk of flesh off me.

I see cardinals having showdowns with the robins a lot. But that could be the robins' fault. They're the local bullies, as I don't have any jays this year. In spring and early summer, robins love nothing more than to harass and chase off other small birds and gather in groups of other robins on my driveway and have rumbles or something. This time of year, they're a little more relaxed.

[kchd..]

Originally Posted by Scooty

Yes, sadly.... him and his ilk far too often.

Nice. I've been known to band a cormorant or two [thousand]. I once found a band on a colony island in Lake Huron that was placed on a gull back in the 1930s.

[gdaddybill]

Still growing and sleeping. It's too hot to be active. I'll try to catch them again later and sprinkle the plant a bit.

[gdaddybill]

The babies are hanging in there. Saw dad feeding just before I took the photo.

[swellcat]

That one has a mean eye. He's thinking about savaging hornworms and maybe pecking the dude who tries to band him.

[ddsack]

Amazing how much they have changed since you took the first picture four days ago! Won't be long til they'll be in the ball of fluff cutie pie stage.