Fly Away

This year we have been fortunate with our wildlife in our backyard. Five families of birds nested and had their brood fly away without major problems. We have the luxury of time and this year we were able to capture those last days when mom bird has had enough and decides it is time for the chicks to leave the nest.

If birds could talk I know what they would say.After sitting on the eggs for between 18-21 days the parents are ready for a busy feeding schedule. In the case of our birds both parents share the burden. Every day they make numerous trips away only to return with beaks loaded with food. Soon wide open mouths appear at the door opening and all call me, me and try to reach out to the food.

Some babies are more aggressive and seem to get most of the food but the parents usually share. As the days turn into weeks the babies begin flapping their wings in the safety of their house but become more inquisitive and poke their little heads further out of the door opening. The daily ritual of cleaning the house is ongoing and the parents take the soiled bedding away from the house and clean their beaks on branches of nearby trees.

Feathers appear and mother begins to try to lure the babies out of the nest. This usually takes several days and some shy babies have to be dragged out  and pushed off the birdhouse in order to make them independent. This time the babies left the nest one at a time. The last one was left without feeding for half a day. It finally came to the door and out on the rest. Suddenly the mother appeared and just as fast flew off. With encouraging chirps the mother enticed the baby to follow. It did and flew right through our apple tree and landed on the ground safe and sound. Theresa and I followed and the baby flew to a nearby ladder and up on the fence. We then saw the parents and three babies on the neighbours roof.

This scene is so much the same as people where some children have to be almost pushed out of the home to make a life for themselves. Nature has a way of making us all realize that we are in this world together and the same rules apply to man and beast unless we break them. This will probably be the last little family we  harbour this year but we are content just to see them fly away.