It’s Day 2 of Phoebe Week!
The female Eastern Phoebe sat on her nest for about two weeks, with breaks to eat and defecate (the porch floor is a mess!)
All of the eggs hatched, and this is what we saw on June 30.
I have to say that there are few things less attractive than these helpless, big-headed, eyes-shut hatchlings. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But, really.
Three days later they looked a tad less ugly. Feathers were coming in. They could hold their heads up. Still. Not cute.
The demands of feeding such fast growth requires constant forays in search of insects by both parents.
I wonder where the mamma sleeps once there’s no room in the nest?
Oh how wonderful. Smart little bird finding a safe and hospitable nesting spot. She does not know how lucky she was to find a spot at Casa Golson!! Cannot wIt to see the story unfold. As always great pics.
Great photos! Someday these little guys will be helping control the insect population, too. I think the homliest baby birds I’ve raised or rescued are baby pigeons and doves–outsized beaks, bulging closed eyes and some resemblance to rat pinkies. Yet, when eventually they mature and take flight and swoop and soar in formation high in the sky almost wingtip to wingtip they are amazingly beautiful.
It’s interesting that chickens are much more independent when they hatch…and chickens are cuter. Must be because they are ground birds or did we breed that into them?
The Phoebes are adorable even in their big headedness. <3
They’re so ugly they’re cute! :D
Aw, I think they’re cute! There’s a robin’s nest on our garage. They picked a terrific spot, on the drain under the eaves. Cats and squirrels can’t get up there, and they’re protected from the rain. Smart bird! We can see the nest and mama bird sitting on it and flitting back and forth but there’s no easy way to get up there and peek in, sadly.
How cute! We keep parrots and I’ve shown people photos of the babies and they think they are ugly. But I see cuteness.
I am loving this unfolding story and can’t wait for the next instalment. Wonderful photos as always.
We have a couple of pairs of House Wrens that have taken up residence in two of our bird houses in our yard. I absolutely love their song. I wonder if they are as unattractive as your Phoebes when born. ;)