Flew the Coop

Well, mama and papa cardinal were making a heck of a racket the other day and we didn't pay much attention. Then Jerry went out to get photos and he said 2 of the babies were out of the nest with 2 more getting out when he looked and mama and papa going nuts.

He called me out and, by that time, all 4 babies were no where to be found so we followed the peep-ing of the parents and saw they were in the trees beside the house with mama and papa leading them around the house. The two I saw were able to fly and get around pretty well for birds that had been crammed in elbow to elbow (do birds have elbows? probably not!) in a small nest so I guess it's just instinct.

The first photo is by Jerry - closeup of the last 2 getting ready to leave the nest area.

The only photos I could get were the other 3 which aren't that great but you get the idea.

Talk about empty nest syndrome!

You may be able to make out a baby in the tree, trying to hide from us trying to look up and see them. Since they were heading towards the back of the house and deck with the bird food, I put out more seed and mama and papa kept coming to the seed, filling their craws, and taking off again, feeding the babies.

I hoped to see the family out at the feeders today, but didn't see them. It was windy and rainy and maybe too much for the little ones but I hope to see them out there someday together. Afterall, I never even got to see how many were males, how many females, or see any red to their feathers at all!

Today, mama and papa are going to the feeders and then flying away - the babies, although I can't see them from the deck, are still in the trees and shrubs by the side of the house protected and being fed still. Perhaps one day soon I'll look out and see them all at the feeders flapping their wings and chirping to be fed when they are as big as mama and papa!