Vivid: Weekly Photo Challenge

Posted on June 10, 2015 by treshabarger

At Mayfield Nature Preserve, Austin, Texas

Baby Bird Watch, Days 9 & 1

Posted on May 28, 2015 by treshabarger

The Mockingbird nest is empty. I can hear the shrill call of the baby birds; they are hidden somewhere in the Mesquite trees or in the knee-high grass.

Empty Mockingbird nest

Now we have a Mallard hen hanging out underneath a larger Italian Stone Pine tree. Maybe she is nesting. Today is Day 1 on her watch, so we’ll see.

Mallard hen (looking at her back), maybe on a nest of eggs

Baby Bird Watch: Days 9 & 1

Baby Bird Watch, Days 7 & 8

Posted on May 27, 2015 by treshabarger

Day 7 Afternoon

Third baby bird

I decided to photograph the empty Mockingbird nest but found it occupied! That made three baby birds, again. I could see two in the Mesquite tree and one in the Italian Stone Pine tree.

Second baby bird in a Mesquite tree

Mom with food

Mom bringing home take out food

Mom and first baby

Day 8 Morning

I tried again to photograph the empty nest but one baby bird was sitting on a branch close to it, so I didn’t approach.

Day 8; waiting for Mom

Baby Bird Watch, Days 7 & 8

Baby Bird Watch, Day 7

Posted on May 26, 2015 by treshabarger

We had yet another 3 inches of rain yesterday, so I went out to check the nest. There were only two baby birds in it and I didn’t have my camera with me. This morning, camera in hand, I checked the nest again. It was empty!

What is going on? Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a grey glob: a baby bird on a tree branch just to my left.

Oh. I backed away slowly, trying not to scare it any more than I already had. Then I noticed a second grey glob. Goodness, that’s a lot of growing each and every day.