As summer reaches its peak, the nesting season is more or less over, but like teenagers the baby birds are not yet independent. They have mostly left their nests, and sit on branches cheeping urgently for food deliveries. Soon they will have to fend for themselves, and then migrate. Mortality is high in this interlude betwixt the parental home and true adulthood.
These are some I have seen in the last few weeks. In my big hickory tree, two Hairy Woodpecker chicks hopped around:
The House Wren fledglings are still being fed, three days after leaving the nest, and several trees away:
A White-breasted Nuthatch seemed to have only a single chick:
A chickadee had ended up on the ground, but it clambered back up to a low branch shortly after I took the photo.
The next shot is a food delivery by a Common Yellowthroat mother, right:
She then pokes it down the fledgling’s throat:
A hummingbird posing on my garden trellis:
The scaly head feathers are distinctive for juveniles. At this age, you can’t reliably tell if it is male or female; the male’s ruby throat only develops later. However, male fledglings usually have streaks on the throat. so the pure white throat of this bird suggests it is female…
On the water, the ducklings are becoming more independent too. This Wood Duck duckling was nowhere near any adults, with just one sibling.
This Hooded Merganser is further along:
The loon chicks are still being fed, either with (quite large) fish:
or crayfish:
You can see that their downy plumage is being shed as the serious feathers underneath take their place.
Watching a new generation flutter out into the world is a special privilege. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Eyes on the Wild 