After I wrote Saturday’s post, we went grocery shopping. When we came back, I checked on the baby birds.
They had fledged.
I never expected to see them fledge, of course. But after we got home, I watched one of the parents flying around carrying food, clearly searching for the birds. Calling, chirping, flying from the porch railing to a branch on one of the maples, looking in all directions. That eventually stopped, so the birdies had been found. Later in the day, I peered into the bush and both babies were perched on branches above the nest. One of the parents was there and somewhat angrily shooed me away. Message received.
Since then, nothing. They’re around, I’m sure, because the parents have to feed them and teach them to how to be independent, but I haven’t seen them in the vicinity of the porch.
I miss them. As Don said to me, “You have literal empty nest syndrome.”
But weren’t we lucky to have a ringside seat to this little miracle?
An eastern swallowtail that’s been hanging around here for a couple of days. They’re so beautiful.
Part of the big garden bed, now filled with coneflowers, phlox, and milkweed. There is more phlox this year than ever. It’s rather wild looking, partly because the dangerously hot weather kept me from weeding, but also because it has evolved into an almost meadow-like country garden. Sometimes I run across a older photo of a more groomed version of this garden, but this suits me fine and as I age, it is probably the best solution.
The weather has been lovely. The humidity has disappeared and it’s nicely warm. What a relief!
Edited to add: BUT, we have an air quality alert because of the fires in Canada. So maybe I won’t be weed whacking today.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
Congratulations on the fledging of “your” catbirds. One theory is that birds build nests so close to human hang outs to discourage other predators. Having said that, I managed to pick ONE raspberry from my patch yesterday amid furious cat bird scolding. I have been thinking of planting a couple high bush blueberries next to the raspberries not that the birds would allow me to pick any of those.
Ceci
I guess you were on the catbird’s turf! The parent who shooed me away was quite angry with me!
Stay safe, Ceci.
That swallowtail is beautiful. We get monarchs, but not like we used to, sadly. I’m glad your weather has improved , except for the air quality. I’ve been seeing the air quality maps on the news, it’s not good. The birds are still entertaining, it sounds like. Have fun.
Thank you, Barrie.
Stay safe.
Mama and Papa birds are very protective of their young. Lovely you can still see the babies even though they have fledged. We can smell the smoke from the wildfires, too. There is an air quality control warning here in Toronto.
Hugs, Elaine
Thanks, Elaine.
Stay safe.
Three or four Harris hawks just fledged from the park about 1/4 mile from our house. My daughter saw them last week perched on top of the school’s swing structure, while the parents were calling them.
We witnessed the calling a couple of years ago, as each parent was in trees in two different places in the park. I think the idea was that each parent called in turn and the babies would fly from one parent to the other, back and forth learning to use their wings.
Being in a suburban-ish area, I love seeing nature when I can. We’re built on sand so nothing is natural so seeing some wild animals relocate here and able to sustain themselves is very exciting for me, who studied zoology at uni. That’s also why I get a kick out of reading your interactions with the animals, birds, insects, and amphibians around your property.
Love that. The calling must be very inspiring!
Thanks so much, Wendy.
Stay safe.
Getting to watch nature is always so satisfying! I personally love your wild garden look! All the flowers are so pretty. We are having a lot of rain right now but at least the temps have gone down some.
That helps!
We need more rain, we had a deluge last week, but the ground was so dry, I’m not sure how much it helped.
Stay safe, Linda.
sorry you missed the fledging, but at least you know the catbird family is all flying around and together. :)
and, scolding notwithstanding, you were in the right place at the right time to take more great photos. :)
i have continued to avoid the news as much as possible, but over the weekend heard there was an earthquake south of you … a 3.something. did you feel it? hope not!
more hot weather again (90s+ after today) so have been running lots of errands with the hope of staying indoors as much as possible all this week.
hope you, don and everyone else have nice, comfortable days. stay safe in every way.
kathy
It was a 3.0 earthquake – very minor – and it was to the east of us. We didn’t feel a thing.
Stay safe, Kathy.
good!
It’s nice that it has cooled off a bit. I’ve been able to get out for walks again.
Bye bye, birdies!
I miss them!
Stay safe, Ellen.
Liked your bird story as it unfolded. Those parent birds are pretty protective of their young. I’m glad you’re getting some nice summer days now. Oh, yeah, so glad you (don too?) will be getting some work soon! Good on you
Thanks, Irene!
Stay safe.