I now have grand birds – lots of grand birds. In the last two weeks we have had three nests of cardinals to fledge, a nest of bluebirds, 2 nests of robins, a nest of sparrows and I don’t know how many batches of house finches. There are baby birds flying in all directions and fluttering their wings as they beg for food.
Naturally, as a good grandparent, I am readily supplying my feathered friends with meal worms, sunflower hearts, suet and assorted bird seed.
The cardinals were the most interesting to observe. They built a nest beside our back patio in a vine-like bush, just 5 feet off the ground. We saw them going in and out, constructing their nest and we were able to peek in and watch as the three eggs were laid and then three tiny chicks. I saw them fly out of the nest late Sunday afternoon but Nancy thought it must have been another family since the babies were so small. Nope, it was the vine nest cardinals. Cardinals get rid of their kids pretty quickly – about 12 days on the eggs then another ten before they fledge.
Recently, after the bluebirds rejected their usual house on the fence and went for another one, I took down the old house and put up a new one with a copper roof and they took to it immediately. I suspect the hen will be constructing a nest and laying eggs in the next few days, as her young’uns are now as big as the adults.
You know, birds are sure fun to watch.