My Lovely Birds

[HuntressOfLight]

First bat of the year seen ten minutes ago, a small and agile one 30' from me in the backyard.

Missed the shot and never saw it again, but that is where it was, just in time for mosquito season. 80°F

 

[HuntressOfLight]

First fledgling of the year made itself known to me, in grand style, and studied me quite intensely.

I began hearing a commotion on down toward the other end of the deck, unsure of cause, when little one here suddenly rounded the corner nook and appeared within the hummingbird garden, just like Nadia or her friend yesterday, except this one somewhat flew in here, while not exactly and chirping all the while. I began taking photos, and it eventually hopped onto the dog's bedding.

Making its way off the other side and looking back, before being quickly coaxed into a 2' flight down to the ground.

It wasn't what I first thought it to be, mommy bird quickly ensured that I knew.

She began calling it toward the blackberry jungle, from across the driveway. The grass remains high, making the hop-flight difficult, especially upon a young fledgling less all its feathers when the harsh sun was blazing down.

But it finally felt concrete for the first time, which proved beneficial to first flight lessons.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

It flew maybe 1' each attempt and hopped into the shade on the bricks, before being further called back into the tall grass toward the blackberries.

It missed its turn; thus, I finally intervened, picking it up and carrying it to its mother within the jungle. Winds are strong today, especially gusts, preventing the fledgling from maintaining its grip upon the cane in which I had first selected; so, I picked it up again. Those baby cardinals have a mouth on them, loud as can be. I saw the mother fly back in there just minutes ago.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

First robin hatchlings spied upon the ground today with Mommy Robin teaching them to hunt. One flew 5' up into a tree upon the edge of Bunnyville.

The robin fights having previously occurred ended up being over the chosen nest site of one expecting Mommy Robin, as oppossed to being about the water within their bath. The fighting ensued all last week.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Soooooo cute! Fledgling robins just a chillin on my front porch steps!

(Excuse the mess, but I have yet to work that particular flowerbed, and I refuse to use the pressure washer in penguin temperatures).

The one on the step is extremely intelligent and highly inquisitive. It was the only one of five robin fledglings to spot me through the glass, and even five minutes later never lost focus, deciding to hop toward the porch and up toward me, as its siblings initially followed a parent into the grass to hunt. Two more of the siblings here.

The most interesting of all is a mourning dove approached and checked upon it.

Deciding all was well and returned to hunting. It's a great place for them, being that the front of the house is rarely utilized.

I believe that they are the same brood first spied yesterday.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Flock of grackles remain and just mobbed Lady Evil, forcing her huge self off the property.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

That bat critter has been flying around again the last two nights. Whatever it is, it is most certainly too fast, waaaaay too fast, to manage a cell phone photo of, in order to tell. It,s flying low now, as low as 20' at times, and it does not mind me at all. It merely adjusts its patterned flight, compensating for me. If not a bat, I'm clueless.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Lady Evil was just mobbed and chased off the property by all, with a decent sized snake dangling from her grasp. She flew it up into one of the oaks within Blueville to deal with it, but none of my birds would permit such. Can't really see all here, but that's her flying across the street with it. Directly in front of that lamp post with the snake dangling.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Just spied the baby cardinal, in which I had previously helped into the blackberry jungle. Can't really see all well, but the mother was up on a cane beside it and feeding it, before they both hopped down to the grass here moments ago.

While the mother began hunting the driveway, her baby decided to make a 35' flight and almost landed up here with me but turned at the last moment and slowed, before almost and maybe having softly thumped into the east side of the house. I guess it landed within the spiderwort garden. It's mother quickly followed. Good to see the little one has survived all thus far and doing well, having grown quite a bit already. My concern was snakes.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

It would appear that two red-headed critters, my lovely red-bellied woodpeckers, are courting one another late within their season. I don't know and didn't manage a decent shot of them, as they fluttered from tree to tree. They were loudly calling above all others and remained within close proximity, while chasing one another around and up/down tree trunks within the backyard.

Usually less than a few feet from each other.

Nonstop chattering big birds...

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Discovered a few hours ago that my house wrens have hatched their eggs. Saw the mother depart their house and then heard them chirping away. Moved a step ladder over, in order to take a quick peek. They heard me, being that I rarely venture into their little alcove, and they instantly went silent. I think I spied one, to the right, but didn't wish to use the flash upon their young eyes.

Mother house wren returned, before I had climbed back down, and she went into alarm mode, cuzzing me out like a cat.

and she did not let up at all, not even after I had walked to the other end of the deck. I thought she might even follow me; so, I hid within the hummer garden (about 50' distance), hoping she would finally relax. Those babies should be hopping around here soon. Will have to keep a very tight hand upon the cat and dogs, for it all. The fledglings usually hop down this way of the deck, just like the baby cardinal did not long ago.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Female red-headed house finch poking her head down and checking me out

She and her pretty mate were hunting the gutter and are now perched within a low limb of an old hardwood, just chirping away with each other. They always want to enter the hummer garden but are less social than my house wrens, slightly more shy. The female did briefly perch upon the hummer tree.

Backyard was full of multiple flickers the past few days.

Noticed the robins finally splitting -up their many fledglings yesterday and had to assist a few times, even though they can fly fairly well when necessary now (one flew 30' up a tree and returned). One of the blondie squirrels thought it would have one for lunch, but the parent and I foiled that little charge toward the fledgling. It took about an hour in all, with me feeling like a chess board piece at times, blocking the squirrels as the adult individually led each away, hopping along down upon the grass. One if not two remain within the backyard. My ears are well attuned to their calls now.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

And we just repeated the process, because this big baby is sooo very darn loud. It's letting every predator know where it is... just staring at me up here on the deck, now, while the parent keeps trying to get it to follow. One squirrel, one within photo, already blocked. Baby doesn't want to leave that dangerous area. Parent has been trying for a while now.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Still just running around like a backyard chicken, seemingly solo now, while surely not, even after I chased it up into a tree.

I hereby name it Chirpy. I ensured my lethal siamese had not managed to slink out of the house and the dogs are up here with me, full of snacks and content. I keep looking out for squirrels...