Backyard

Last week there was an active cardinal nest in the dense center of one of my viburnum dentatum bushes.  I could hear the nestling chipping whenever one of the parent birds was nearby.  After the heavy rain around mid-week the nestling became a fledgling.  I can hear its insistent metallic chinking now from various places nearby and the parents, especially the female, are busy finding food.  The male also spends a lot of time singing from the utility wires.

Yesterday was an active yardbird day with the cardinals plus robins, goldfinches, house wrens and house sparrows.

This mourning dove was a tentative visitor to my waterfall.  It cautiously made its way in for a drink.  

For the past two to three weeks my yard has been a haven for robins.  This summer my pagoda dogwood tree had a nice crop of plump purple berries which the robins love.  The berries are now gone but the robins remain.  Last evening there were at least two fledglings and three adults.

One of the youngsters paused to take a nap on the waterfall rocks.  I was able to get very close to it and the bird seems still quite young though it is a skillful flyer.  Neither of the fledglings is begging which seemed unusual.  I am accustomed to seeing baby robins running after their parents begging for food well beyond their baby stage.  

     

Even the bathing adult did not immediately wake this youngster.  I got many photos and the fledgling seems entirely done in.

In the video below, the small heaving chest of the sleeping fledging is seen.  I did consider that this young bird may not be healthy, but I have seen nestling robins breathe in the same way.  Perhaps the job of being on its own is proving to be very tiring.

Below, the fledgling awakened from time-to-time to fly away, but came back for at least two snoozes.