Saturday, July 15, 2017

Saturday Critters ~ 187 ~

It's baby bird season at my house, 
and I have been watching the miracle of nature and motherhood, right here at home.

This Female Cardinal is a mom...

to this little - big one.

I watched her feed the young Cowbird for about an hour,
but I wasn't able to capture a good picture.

This little one was beautiful as he/she bounced around the yard.
I think this is the first time I have seen a young cardinal, Cowbird.

P.S....I think I got this wrong -
in my excitement to share, I did not do my homework.
It looks like this is a young Cowbird, that has been adopted by a Female Cardinal.
Apparently, Cowbirds are know to lay their eggs in a Cardinals nest,
then let the Cardinal raise the baby!

Mom was proud, attentive and beautiful!!

Sharing today's images with 

27 comments:

Prunella Pepperpot said...

Such beautiful images Debbie. I'm in love with your cardinals and your photography is amazing!
Have a wonderful weekend :)

Marie Smith said...

Wonderful, Debbie! Mothers are incredible creatures in any species.

Sandi said...

Mommy and baby. Sweet! So the babies don't start out red?

Beside a babbling brook... said...

Wonderful photos!

Amazing how the baby Cardinal is so drab! Perhaps that is whey we don't remember seeing them around....

But you have the perfect area, to made Mama feel safe, with her baby.

Just wonderful shots.

Thank you for sharing...

Luna Crone

Adam said...

Baby certainly is big

eileeninmd said...

Hello, cute shots of the baby bird and Cardinal. My baby Cardinals almost look like adults now. They grow so quickly. It is weird how the momma Cardinal can be a momma to the baby cowbirds too. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Judy said...

I had adult Baltimore Orioles this year and saw their babies--which I had never seen before. I didn't recognize them as baby Orioles until I saw them at the feeder with Mom and Dad. Now they have taken wing--to fly back to Baltimore, I assume. HAH!

Sally said...

Wow - so pretty. Mother Nature is a beautiful thing. :)

xoxo

Carol Blackburn said...

Great shots! I do love the Cardinals. Lucy you to have them nest where you can see them.

Patti said...

It looks like your cardinals got duped into raising cowbirds.

Anni said...

So, so sweet!!!
Lovin' this.

Christine said...

Hello Debbie! Clearly a very fond mother with a bouncing baby to show off! Great shots!
Happy weekend!

Unknown said...

What a sweet little one, Debbie.
I love the photographs you got.
xo.

Jenn Jilks said...

I like that, 'I wasn't able to capture a good picture'. There are days when your readers simply must believe you, and enjoy the mental picture.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

Aw what a sweetie. Dina and I were just enjoying a male flying to our feeder and back to his mate on the fence, over and over again, feeding her. It was so cute to watch.

21 Wits said...

Awe, baby bird time is fun time! Great captures of them.

The Furry Gnome said...

Just the other day I talked to someone who had also been watching a parent Cardinal feed a youg one!

doodles n daydreams said...

Cute, Momma sure is happy.

Diana

LeAnn said...

Oh this is a cute Momma for sure. I love the colors. Nature is just so amazing. Thanks for sharing these spectacular shots! Hugs~

Breathtaking said...

Hello Debbie!:) This is the kind of nature watching that I like, when you don't have to go in search for it,..it's right there in your back yard. It's so endearing to watch young birds being fed by attentive parents.
Lovely photos and post.:)

Anvilcloud said...

How delightful! Are you sure it's a cardinal? Shouldn't there be a tuft on the head. Just asking because I don't know for sure.

A Colorful World said...

I LOVE getting to watch them feed their young. Birds are so wonderful! They give us such joy. Nice shots!

Debbie said...

yes patti, you are right. in my excitement, i totally missed it!!!

Brian King said...

Great photos! I've seen that in my yard, too. Cowbirds will lay eggs in just about any nest they can get away with doing it. It doesn't seem right, but that's nature, I suppose.

Conniecrafter said...

Oh wow I had never heard cowbird before, I wonder if we have any around here... that's great that she adopts the bird like that and takes care of it. Great pics!

Anni said...

Thanks so much, Debbie, for sharing this with us birders at I'd Rather B Birdin' this weekend.

Patti said...

That's easy to do. So many baby birds look like that. I hope the Cardinals have their own brood. Our Song Sparrow raised Cowbirds one year. It was funny to watch, but that poor little sparrow wore itself out trying to feed a baby bigger than it was.