I just became a mother! (new babies!)

[ChickieNikki]

Quote:
We get those all the time--they're killdeer! The first year, we were grading, and I moved the nest and momma didn't move with it

Tried to incubate them myself with a light bulb, but not being a bird, it failed.

Second year, there were 4 nests when I mowed for the first time. I flagged them with orange flags, which apparently alerted a predator--only one set of eggs made it.

Third year, there were 3 nests, and my friend's daughter smashed the eggs in one (she was 9!!! and did it on PURPOSE to see what it looked like inside--GACK!!) but the other eggs hatched. I found a little family crossing the large-gravel driveway, babies a-stumblin, and picked one up to give the kids a look, and quickly put it down for momma to find--they're persistent little critters!

Last year, there were 3 nests again, all hatched, and I caught the tail end of a hatch--it was spectacular! They're like ducks, all hopping about right away! They were kind enough to let us catch them and play for a bit while momma circled around, emitting a freaked out sort of scream, which called several other killdeer to join the chorus until we released her offspring!

Those blue eggs and babies are miraculous--we had a similar tiny nest and tiny hatch last year, and love seeing and holding them once they got big enough to fly and return to the nest! Great shots!

 

[NellaBean]

Well, we had a severe storm roll through on Friday.....flooding, trees down, power out....winds bad enough that they bent up part of my garage roof

I was not home at the time and by the time i got home the worst was past.....both chicken pens survived unscatched

although they looked like drowned rats from the sideways rain. Falling branches took out my fence in a few spots and rearranged a bunch of stuff on the porch....bent up a few panels of the metal garage roof....thank you mother nature, for my brand new skylights

It also rearranged my hanging baskets! They were all still hanging, but the extreme winds had bent all of the plants to one side, and it had crushed the nest

Not only was the nest squashed underneath, but it was completely covering it to where the momma couldn't get to the babies.

When I pulled the basket down for a closer look, they were under the plant and one had its mouth hanging open....I actually thought they were dead....but then they moved! The plant had crushed onto the nest but not actually injured the babies. Either the plant or the bad weather did break part of the nest apart but the babies were okay. I cleared the plant back out of the way and got the nest back in the open.....and momma came back! I saw her and daddy feeding the babies and she has been sitting on it as usual.

Unfortunately, the damage to the plant has left the nest more "in the open" than it used to be. But the mom and dad birds are doing a good job of taking care of them (including running off some other birds).

I also have some other bird making a nest in another hanging basket........AND a good little hilarious bird making a nest in a bucket in the garage....and that bird used DUCT TAPE as part of the nest. I laughed forever when I noticed. Good little southern bird.

 

[NellaBean]

Also.....check out the full crop on the bird in this pic (at least i hope that is what it is)....their skin is see through...

 

[tabsmonsters]

Glad to hear the parents are still taking care of the little ones! This one bird family likes to nest above my porch light. I try to catch them before they lay eggs because it makes a horrible mess where their poop lands. I didn't get to it quick enough and there were eggs in the nest. I begged hubby to wait to tear down the nest until they hatched and flew from the nest. They finally flew out this weekend and we had a fun mess to clean up but it was worth waiting. Now I have to be even more diligent in making sure they don't rebuild because I don't want to clean it again!

 

[sparkles2307]

Oh that is too precious! We have a Robin that nested in the eave of my chicken coop, shes not very friendly so we dont peek at her eggs. But the Mourning Doves in our blue spruce let us get really close and dont mind unless we run the lawn mower next to the tree.

 

[NellaBean]

I make sure to not actually touch the nest (although I had to bump it to get it uncovered the other day)...I just move the flower basket. Most of the time I just hold the camera up and take a pic where it hangs....if it is too dark, I take the whole basket down and then put the whole basket back........all without touching. I don't want to disturb the nest itself

The momma bird flies away if I come out there and does not come back until I leave. So I try to go out when she is gone getting food......if I see her sitting, I try to just leave it alone.

They are so cute! I still don't know if there are 4 or 5 though.....I can see her feeding them through the window, but am too far to count heads.

 

[NellaBean]

The babies are getting big!



Yesterday, all pointing in the same direction.

Today. They have feathers coming in! they look like little combs allover their body.

'They are big enough they fill up the nest now.

 

[conny63malies]

almost the same thing happend to me. I had a wren pair that insisted to maje a nest under my awning with no success. So i cut a bourd in half and wired it under the awning , 24 hours later they started making a nest. She layed five eggs , four of which hatched. Time went by fast and the fouur babies left the nest already.

 

[gabrielle1976]

AWWWWWWWW

I love how most baby birds have mouths that take up there whole head lol

Could you take a pic of mom Id love to see her

 

[NellaBean]

Momma bird does not stick around long enough for me to take a picture. She makes a run (flight) for it as soon as I go out the front door.

Babies are still feathering out.

My poor plant is dying though!