coolest thing ever (birds helping birds)

16 years ago

This was by far one of the most wonderful moments I have had in bird watching . A brief background to the story. This is my 4th year with TRES nesting. Everything was textbook until day 5 after hatching, I found a dead TRES in the road. It took 2 days to determine it was indeed a parent of "my" nesters. Days 9 and 10 were cold and rainy no moths, really no flying bugs at all. I hand fed these 6 babies wax worms for 2 days, also had to do a nest change because of blowfly. The weather broke and all was well. Day 16 brought other Swallows to visit including 1 adult and 2 juvenal BARN Swallows, the adult on top of the box while the juvies hung out at the hole and looked to be "feeding" the babies inside. Days 19 and 20 several other TRES stopped by and checked out the box. Today there were hours with no parent coming to feed them. I had looked away for just a second then saw a baby had left the box and was on the top wire of the fence...no parent in sight. This baby seemed to have every confidence in the world and just began to preen and flap it's wings. It went upside down a couple times but was able to right it 'self. My Blue bird pair cam to check it out , Pop looked to have fed it something. Mom and Pop Blue hung out in a branch over this baby while their 2 week old fledglings begged for food in the same tree. A female Cardinal came and perched just 4 - 5 inches from this baby TRES. She and the baby TRES sat there quietly for a moment just looking at each other. The Cardinal defiantly uttered some soft peeps to the baby TRES witch the baby seem to understand....then she left. I was afraid the baby would follow her but it didn't. Next came a Mourning Dove that I had seen ignore it's own baby just an hour before. It perched in the closest branch to the baby TRES and "cooed" to it, baby TRES fluttered it's wings and chattered back. FINALLY after about 1/2 hour the parent TRES showed up and circled the baby then went to the box and appeared to feed a baby that leaned to far and fell out of the box, it fluttered to the ground but the TRES parent just kept going and left. The Dove, the Blues and the female Cardinal all took places in branches around the baby TRES on the ground. It flapped and flapped then preened and flapped again . It finally took flight, Pop Blue followed it for a bit until it was as high as the tree tops. The baby TRES on the fence followed and made it to the "way up " too. I saw a group of Swallows, about 8, circling way up high. The parent has only been back to feed the 4 remaining babies once. I am sure they will be leaving in the morning. How wonderful to see all these birds looking out for another's babies. If it takes a village....the village was defiantly here. We could all learn a lot from this. I so wish I would have had my camera with me, the Mom Cardinal talking to the baby TRES was the most precious thing I have ever seen. I am concerned, I have seen TRES fledge only once before and they took off like little rockets. One parent with bad weather for hunting for 6 babies may mean they are weaker than they should be. I pray they all make it! I will let you all know.

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Comments (3)

anita55
16 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, have you been staying up late again watching Disney Movies? Just teasing but it does sound a little disneyesque no? Very cool if these birds were watching over a baby regardless of what kind of bird. My Bluebirds are a tiny bit delayed in fledging so maybe the weather is affecting all of them. I am keeping my fingers crossed for your beautiful babies to fledge healthy and happy when they are ready.
kendra2003
16 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
What an amazing experience. I witnessed a similar scene with fledging robins a few years ago. It was like the whole neighborhood showed up to encourage them to fly. It is so cool you were there to witness it.
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coolest thing ever (birds helping birds)

Comments (3)

anita55

kendra2003

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cjc45

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