I haven't seen a parent on the nest in the last 2 or 3 days, but it may be that the parents are being extra careful not to reveal the location of the nest. Yesterday I was watching the tree from about 40-50 feet away, and I saw a mourning dove sitting at the top of my neighbor's roof not far from the nest. After about 10 minutes, I thought maybe the dove was waiting for me to go away. So I walked around the far side of my house, and from my back deck, I could see that same place on my neighbor's roof -- and no dove. I got down off the deck and started walking toward the nest on the near side, and I heard that flying-up sound that mourning doves make, from the direction of the nest. And this morning I saw a pair of mourning doves loitering in my driveway in front of the garage, about 35 feet from the nest. That's as close as I have been able to confirm that the parents are still visiting the nest. I would like better assurance, since mourning doves are commonly in the area to visit under my bird feeders. I cringe to think that they are abandoned, cold, hungry, and dehydrated. But I also hestitate to interfere. - Jim

Our Robins, which up to this year have been nesting twice a year on our deck, decided to nest 3 ft from the ground in the honeysuckle by the horse pasture. Now that the babies have hatched, my new shelter Jack Russell terrier that we recently adopted, can hear the sounds and springs into action, trying to leap up and grab the nest. It is wrapped in honeysuckle, but that little hunt terrier is a highly energetic vermin hunter. So far I've stopped him before he got very far, and let him know he's NOT to bother the nest, but it's an extra worry to me that I have to keep tight watch on Jasper until the babies can fly. I keep him in the house or on the fenced deck when he's not with me, but that's a long time for us not to make a mistake and let him out of our sight. I grumbled to DuBois that building a nest so low was unwise and that I wish those Robins had used the old nest on the deck beams again so the babies would be safer. But with Jasper on the deck so much, the fledglings would have to be quick even then

I'm at awe again with your pictures, as always, I starting to take better pictures as I push my ISO up and shut full aperture, took a bunch Sat. will post them after a few days after these wear off and I can find more time to do it. My second batch, 3 fledglings flew off Sat, I didn't catch them, but sat around most of the day trying to catch them. They left when I went into town for a typical Sat evening meal, I think they were waiting for me to leave anyway. Keith

Congrats on adding more blue to the sky! Hopefully, you will see many more fledgings. Sometimes they fly out so quickly, you blink and miss it. Other times, the parents tease them for hours, call them, and hover in front of them with food to coax them out. The funniest one I ever saw (wish I had a picture of this) one fledgling changed his mind in mid-fledge; one wing and one foot out, and one wing and foot still in the box. He must have stayed there a good 20 minutes trying to figure out what to do next. He eventually made it just fine, heaven knows how. Sometimes they are super flyers, popping out and turning in mid air to head right up to the tallest trees. Landing is another matter. I've seen one grab a bunch of leaves and hang upside down for a while, holding on for dear life until he gathered the nerve to fly up higher. They can climb very well, too. It always amazes me how the parents will guide them from one place to the next, and then gather them all up for the night, all snuggled together in a row. I used to think they always fledged first thing in the morning, but I've seen them fledge all times of the day, just before a major thunderstorm, even once at dusk. The most important thing though, is NOT to scare them when fledging time is close. The last thing you want is for them to fledge out of fear before they are really ready. Always keep good notes on your calendar so you know when the age of the nestlings, and do not open the nestbox after day 13 (remember unlucky 13). BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/premature.htm