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Home My WebLink AboutJune 24, 2004 - Bring on the baby birds The Suffolk Times • June 24, 2004 • rl n on e a . ir s �� ,, ,,,,p` ,�,r� , � ,,,,,,, -�� , „p� ,. ( !6 ii u�r i i � ��i p l �lqN �' � (rilO�i n� i rh �lyyvrr - � b � d ,�w�l�� i;�r „v d dr+"�, � , y� .., � 7 / " r��l�' S� �'�d��'�� 1� , �i �� a�Y��i �r� ��'� e�Hj�wiv , � � � ��uN�� ii � �� r ��l ��/li ti� I/� �l o i4r �v � p �W� ��/Jl /l � �.� �1�_ .rea' i�� q � p �� ,I �i�hi �j�� r � ul�/ % ��° ��d�� r �`� �� ,1 �� ,�� r,�,��,,i. �` b„/ � �" ��fix,� i� ''�,�„yy,��H� ° ��yy�n��i i(p W MI''��4��i�rA�� 'i{ � �`"rj L�,�$�ti,° ��"�� "'� /� M� bl,ti��y �4 p� � ,,, I��Y'Y �� r�,.&�N. � ;, -. px ��l l �i, ) / W�. S C C l�i '� M l I ..<a�� A� � 'WN '� � �� . s� '"`�" ''; ✓a,��,��q � r r � �+� � �� r.�� ,� �n �',� *4u �h i w�. �� rl' � �Gl �Yr, �� ,��,. � � �' �eoJ IW,��V4' dr��r�� x, — "� �I�V � � � II , " ' ,u% r,� �� ` �' � ' �n ' I P 4 / 'yµuM ' 4� �� . .,4'.� i µ � '�M" � �t� � � � � ,� � r� �ir�� ., /�i�"�� , ,µ , i �, .�,, , , l �� .�, � �y .'Ww�r w��.a � �a� �e�, r�„�,�A � �,;��.��,"�� l�j��l�� . w� � , ' � .:�. „��; ,,,..,,, ,.� ,;�u�M �� .:.. ' ' , � � '� �"-. � � ' ern�- . ,; � ,�ti �1/� �N ..a7.` '.� � �1 �� °� � h y " ! :,,u �: `i. / / � ��- r � � ll �hJ��ii�l +µ� ��W� � . .._r � ��s�� .:, ;7�a � � ,,, ��N�,,,� , � � .. _ »."+�.r'��`�: � � a ' _ � f - i�.� �r-� . ��l/'��INH — , � y� ,. Ir: i � j � d: � � y y � �� ,� y�� , "ii; � _ .. - ».w.� ry _ N � � � �, n . .;��_ 4 ,u, � , . ,, ._ _ _ . _.____�_ ::i.„. � Tune.,,�Rovi�W photos by Paul Stou(enburgh e°�tli(^��._� .� �� . . • � � � _. � '�� "��v r�.� �w�B��Tl��Q9�� £l�l WcU�Ir1C LO b@ �C)(1'. �.i1C' � i��_' i,� � ��aS �OSC ItS �I af1C1 iS S�I(J�Jlflg aWa�/. -�--_ ��ht: "Hey Mom, c�on't for etme. N�� v�n�i��ri�i: wiii�_izi� wc �:,u un ��ur place these days,we can hear�he cries for food just as our kids did when oP baby birds.This is the week that they were hungry.It's their way of let- most young birds have left the nest or ting the parents know they haven't are getting ready to.The place we been fed lately and they're hungry. hear their calls most is right off our Out on the other side of the house, back porch,where a family of house on our little brick patio,we have feed- wrens lives in a ing stations of sunflower seeds and gourd.The gourd suet.The little black-and-white downy had not been F�(rjJ$ woodpecker has brought its young to used before this the suet (heavy,solid beef fat)we year.The rent ON tucked behind a wire mesh to prevent isn't too high;tlle NATU RE Mr.Raccoon from enjoying it.We mere joy of see- by PBuI watched this little woodpecker collect ing this noisy a bill full of suet and pass it on to its Stoutenburgh 1'amily of wrens is little one clinging to the wire feeder. payment enough. Later,the little one will take a jab at The adults raised their family not 10 the suet and another skill will have feet from our back porch.The young been learned. are about read to fl and are calling Besides the wood ecker at the feed- The chickadees are taking sunflowc Down alcmg our drivcway,by thc big kernels and flying away with lhcm.I sunken birdbath,the parcnt birds�are havedt seen their young as yet,but bringing their young for their first I'm sure they've hatched by now.I can drink and bath.The mother robin was remember coming across a family of there yesterday with two of her young. chickadees in the hollow of a tree. They were having a great time at the Some will actually chip out a cavity in water's edge.You can tell the young the soft,dead wood of a tree to make robins at this time of the year by their their nest in.When old enough,the speckled breasts.The titmice as well young ones will come to the opening have brought their family to bathe and and wait to be fed.What a picture that shake off the water,as they learn for would make. the first time what it's like to take a er,we have the cardinals feeding thcir Out in the pasture,where the cows bath. have eaten the grass down to stubble, If you go to the beach and your young the meat from sunl7ower seeds. there's a rou of nois starlin s.The e e,s are shar It looks like only two of the young g p y � Y' p,you might have had parent runs ahead,busily the fun of seein the i have survived.What might have hap- g p p- looking for anything that � in lovers,which have pened to the others,I don't know. moves,while the oun The young are �p Their clutch of eggs is usually four. y � already had their young. ones run behind,callin eallin f01' �e feed them alon Could two have perished? Perhaps g g Y g the the poor spring weather,with its rain and calling for food. f pOd JUSt 1S ater's edge.As soon as a Every once in a while the erson a ears nearb and cool temperatures,did them in. Our kids did pp y°a parent will stop,go back, all is �ven and the oun Like most young,these two are beg- g y and feed one,and then go when the un u the beach,where ging far food.When they beg,they on its way again,with the y hcy ettle down and stay sort of squat down and flutter their were hungry. .t��,not blinkin an e e wing�to get attention.This gesture three or four of them g y trailing behind.Sooner or en people walk by, and their pleading call,"Please feed later they'll get the idea and fend for l e don't even know the 're there as me,please feed me,"usually does the themselves. the little balls of fluff are o well cam- trick.The female or the male will go Most birds come back near the same ouflaged in the sand. over with a tidbit they have worked spot they where nested the year before Since so many birds had been out of a sunflower seed and pop it 'mis is exactly what my barn swallows around with their young this week,we into one of the gaping mouths. did.Zhere's only one pair.They come decided to make one more t at Whenever I go to the garage,wher each year and build their nest in the checking on our osprey nest at the there's a bird box under the eaves,I same spot alongside a light bulb in the head of the creek.So far we hadn't can hear the young house sparrows ceiling of the barn.The young have been able to see any young.Finally we begging to be fed.This was a scene of already left the nest;we see them saw what we'd been lookin for all near disaster last week,when I saw a g blue jay alight on the bird box and try perched along the barbed-wire fence, these weeks—first one,then another. to get its head in for an afternoon �'aiting to be fed.What a job these They wouldn't have won any beauty snack.Luckily I was there to chase it swallows do on mosquitoes and flies! contest,but that diddt matter.We off.So far I know they're all still alive T�ey're constantly on the wing,snap- were glad to finally see that our young for I can hear their hungry calls. in their meal ri ht in midair. ospre s had hatched. Erin told me she had seen sparrow parents feeding a cowbird that was much larger than they were.It fol- lowed them around calling for food. -��n, We know the cowbird lays its single ✓�^ � +,�� egg in other birds'nests.It hatches �'�'�''�' r,� �",� '�� '` u�� /',,, before the others and the young cow- �'��,y,�� bird grabs all the food.With that �� , advantage it grows bigger and i , y �I � �� 'aq� ,�, A� �� °�' ,�,,�� tronger than the rightful nestlings. ra��:�, t� i, "'"� �r ' k� , „ �� ,�;r �� y"�,��"��^"',� 'm,> g ��;.,. , ��::. , � ' . � rcalSer hl bmr orason�as�h"��min a �' ^�� a�,�� ,� �, i � ��i, „ � �. % �"�, ,;,.,: � �.,� �' u, 'a�. � ,��'; �' �� ' �� ,�� "�9/nr�y� ,j'�4'�Ir� �i�i t�" . � �u, "� ^ �� ' � � ...,.� ,.� ..�_. . .,,. _--=-�,w �.,.a _w_�: ...-,,: �,��. �-� ,- �, ��,,. , ..r,... y �y 1✓d4; ,X, //y//r `, �,,ti, ,rr l u�� lfl '. .. �. � ;'.!IIIS.