Wildlife: Help With Expecting Mom, 1 by DreamOfSpring

DreamOfSpring wrote:
Hi Magpye, so good to hear that you are stopping by, and I sure would love to believe that the critters can see that we want to be "friends".

Dax, you are way ahead of me. I can't get that close to the male still!

Thanks, angele. Thanks, IRIS. Thanks to all of you for being there. For a while there I was afraid the 13 days of "Here are the eggs, no change" and "Here's the nest with a red dot on top; that's the mom" were getting to be as exciting as waiting for water to boil. It is an incredible experience here, but not always sure if it translates well.

Floridian, hang in there. I looked at the bottom of an empty nest for 10 days. It sounds like the cardinal families are living near you. It's just a matter of time until you venture out early one morning to find one putting the finishing trim on a nest in your garden.

Here is the latest news and a few things I've noticed:

The eggs are looking a bit dull and dry. Must be a good sign...

Thursday night when I took the dog out, I had to chase the raccoon out of the garden. I was a little late taking the birdseed in. Have to be more careful. I left the outside light on hoping that would deter him from returning. Friday morning I was almost afraid to look, but, yes, she was still there in her nest. Whew! That scared me, so think i will try to attach the extra rose branches this weekend if I get a chance when she's away from the nest.

Thursday, when my camera battery had died, I saw a pair of Thrashers in the baby crabapple (only 5' so more of a big shrub for now). They were playing "catch" as they flew over to the fence. I ran for my spare battery but too late. It seems as though my little garden has become something of a lover's lane for birds. That's the 4th happy couple I've spied this week. (and they add so much to the atmosphere of the garden)

Ok, this one surprised me. It seems like at least once each day the male comes by and she leaves the nest and they spend time together - without the kids. Call me a silly romantic, but it actually looks like they are spending a little time each day pair-bonding and working on their relationship. During that interval each day, they go elsewhere in the yard and hang out together in a tree somewhere - like Wednesday when they were in the willow, playing in the sprinkler shower. It seems a lot like a dinner date or a movie.

Here is a quick pic I nabbed of the happy father to be. He's in the neighbor's crabapple (I love that tree!) looking over toward his new family and calling to her. Isn't that sweet.