I had my big girl camera out yesterday because I was trying to get photos of Mama Catbird, who is truly a mama now because there are babies! Sometime in the past couple of days, the babies emerged. I peered through the leaves of the hydrangea and noticed Mama was standing on the edge of the nest a lot – leaning over and looking down. At one point I saw part of a little beak pop up. That’s when I knew.
The nesting site is smack dab in the middle of the bush, which makes seeing any details almost impossible. Good choice, mom and dad. It is extremely hot here, both yesterday and today, and I worry about them. We have thunderstorms in the forecast and I hope they stay safe. Do mama birds automatically sit on the nest during a storm to protect the baby? Do they shield them from excessive heat? Because we’re hitting 95° today. Just checked: Google says they do. The often stand on the nest and spread their wings to provide shade. And if it rains heavily, they sit on the nest protecting the babies. I remember the single parent robin who had a nest just outside our kitchen window doing exactly that and there was very little leaf shelter on that branch.
You can see Mama perching on the nest looking down on the babies. No baby chirps yet.
There she is with her beak open. I’ve noticed that birds do that a lot when it’s extremely hot.
I peered through the bush one too many times and got a warning from one of the parents, so I retreated inside.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
I find birds fascinating. In some cases, they do a better job of protecting and raising their young than humans do. When it’s time, the mother bird pushes the baby out of the nest, instead of sticking them in the “basement” and providing for them FOREVER. Instincts are fascinating. Thanks for the pictures!
Have a great day!
Thanks, Darlene!
Stay safe.
Aunt Claudia Momma is watching you! Glad you can enjoy the babies. Stay hydrated and cool. Have a good weekend. I laugh because I am such a retired homebody who runs my errands M-F late mornings so weekends are the opposite of working people. You probably do the same! Take care!
Thank you so much, Carlotta!
Stay safe.
glad you saw them and took photos so we could see, too. that sweetness does my heart good, so thanks for sharing with your nature-loving words and photos.
hope you, don and everyone else stay safe in every way, including that heat.
kathy
Thank you, Kathy. It’s horrible here today!
Stay safe.
Your photography is so lovely ~ thank you for sharing some of your Paradise. I look forward to your posts and enjoy how you appreciate the little things that are the best things (if you ask me).
Such kind words, Nadine.
Thank you.
Stay safe.
This is so exciting. I’m glad that google explains how they protect the babies in the heat. And the bush shade will help too. How fun is that!
It’s Google AI, which I tend to shy away from, but I was in a hurry and there it was.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
So very sweet!
Thank you, Jenny.
Stay safe.
We had catbirds today in our fountain birdbath – it’s super hot down here in Virginia and I keep topping up the water for them. Thanks for the update on “your” nest!
Ceci
We always have catbird in our birdbath. One of the first descriptions I ever read about catbirds was “they love to take a bath.”
Stay safe, Ceci.