Baby Birds

Well, I decided to leave the bird eggs alone and let nature take its course. The last time I checked the nest I found two fledglings, one chipping sparrow, and this, larger, brown-headed cowbird on top of it.

As you can see, the cowbird is getting all the food. When I first saw the fledglings, hatched, the sparrow managed to put it's beak up once - I didn't get a picture - but I could see how much smaller it was besides the fact that the cowbird was also able to reach up higher than the sparrow. I knew it didn't have a chance and thought of getting rid of the cowbird then and there...but I left it alone.

This morning, there was just the cowbird fledgling in the nest. A bird who doesn't belong, but is thriving...provided that the chipping sparrow parents continue to feed it.

Speaking of birds that don't belong...In the upper corner of our side porch, a pair of house sparrows claimed this barn swallow nest. Last year, a pair of barn swallows successfully raised three fledglings here. This year, the nest is home to one house sparrow fledgling.