Sparrow Nest, Part 7

It's been a very busy morning at the nest, today. I'm hearing more chirps from the parents, and faint chips from inside the bush. This morning, one baby bird was sitting on a branch outside the nest, while the other was still nestled inside it. As far as I can tell there are two babies. 

The parents do not like the dog. Anytime we let her out, they scold her from the pine trees or the deck rail. Yesterday, poor Dallas was dozing next to the bedroom patio door- on the opposite end of the long deck from where the bush is, and one of them was giving her a real hard time. For everyone's mental well-being (birds, dog, and humans), I took the dog inside. 

Baby!!

Sparrow Nest, Part 6

The babies eyes are open now.  Here's Mama scolding me for being out on the deck.  

Sparrow Nest, Part 5

A couple days ago the babies hatched! We had a huge storm on Thursday night and I was worried about the nest. But Mama was still there Friday, and by Saturday there were fuzzy babies, clumsily lifting their heads, mouths open for food. It was the first time I heard Mama chirp, too, as she tsk-ed me away from her nest. I also found out she is the tan variety.

Here's a close-up of her on the nest, and one of her in the tree foraging and scolding me for being too close. Poor Mama.

Our little white-throated sparrow population

It seems we have quite the population of white throated sparrows. While mama sat on her nest, there was a handful of the birds squabbling in a nearby tree. Others scouted the ground for food, one checked out the kids' water table, and a white-striped variety kept returning to our feeder.  

Tan variety hidden among the mulch.

This one hopped right into the water table.

White-striped variety.

Sparrow Nest, Part 4

The more I research these white-throated sparrows, the more exciting watching this whole process is! There are two color variations in this type of bird: black-white head stripes, and tan stripes. Male and female can come in either color variety yet they often choose a mate of opposite color of their own. There are a few behavioral differences between the two colors as well, which is detailed at the National Audubon Society's website. This is totally fascinating to me!

I've seen both the white and tan bird at our feeder, and I'm still not sure which is the female. The mama sits on the nest but it's too shady in the bush for me to tell what her color markings are. That poor mama has seen me peek on her nest so many times in the last few days she doesn't even bother flitting off to hide anymore. (I feel a little guilty about this. Hopefully I don't compromise anything!)

I found another egg this morning, bringing the count to four.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Sparrow Nest, Part 3

Part 1

Part 2

This morning when I checked there were three eggs on the nest. I didn't try to take a picture since mama sparrow was sitting on the nest and I startled her. Every time I've walked by today there's been someone in the nest, so I wonder if mommy is done laying and the eggs are ready to incubate.

I did see the tell-tale striped head, so my theory that they are white-throated sparrows still holds.

Sparrow Nest, Part 2

Yesterday, I found one egg, and today there were two! I did some research and I think this nest might belong to white-throated sparrows. I've seen a few at the feeder this week, and I've heard their calls around the yard. If this is the case, we may get a few more eggs and see babies in a couple weeks if we haven't scared them off by then. 

Sparrow Nest, Part 1

Monday, July 4: Noticed some activity in a bush in our backyard. Rustling branches, chirps, and flits. I noticed a nest had been built but couldn't tell who did it.

Wednesday, July 6: Found one speckled egg!

Just because...

From a few weeks ago, another white-throated sparrow.

Sparrow Variety

It's so easy to over-look sparrows. Earlier this year I was super excited when I found a white-crowned sparrow who must have peeled off from the flock during his migration north. He was around for quite a while, so when I took this picture today I wondered if it was the same guy and he summered here, or if his flock is on their way south already.

I noticed another type of sparrow at the feeder this morning. He had stripes on his head but not as vivid as the white-crowned sparrow. Looking through binoculars I noticed yellow around his eye. My book says it's a white-throated sparrow.