Squealer

This was a seemingly easy stroll, neighborhood sparrow having a bath. I headed to the park, but it started to drizzle. Packed camera back into case and headed back here. Except I heard "squeal, squeal!" Persistent. Oh my, a baby pigeon on the townhouse stoop, probably just out of nest. Got camera out of case, didn't care if it got wet. This squealer still has baby feathers and the typical baby beak.

Much flapping. Parents arriving.

Feeding time. Pigeons feed their babies mouth-to-mouth, regurgitated food. In this case it was no longer liquid gruel. This kid was getting clumps of soft food. How would you like your kid's head down your throat?

This is the father feeding, alternated with the mother.

A blop of the food fell on the stoop landing. The baby saw it, but did nothing. It doesn't know how to peck at food yet. It had been on the stoop wall, flew to the landing, down, but it had difficulty getting back up onto the wall. It bobbled that return uplift. Good on down-flight,inept on up-flight.

It stayed on that stoop wall squealing. The adult pigeons were flying low near it as if to coax it upward. No go.

To be continued.

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