Tender parents

This series speaks for itself. It may seem as if I'm too close, but I'm using the powerful telephoto lens to give this family space. Baby really a runt. Left eye not open. Flying ability nil, maybe 8" off the ground for a few yards. Thank goodness its little brown body blends into brown wood chips.  Robins show up with mouths filled with worms for their voracious kids, worms down-the-hatch in a second. Baby cardinal takes dabs of food as parent watches and waits. Sometimes mouth doesn't open when parent arrives. Is baby healthy? Is its vision impaired worse than it seems? I've stood in front of it and it doesn't seem to notice. But it's not under nourished.  Watch parents' expressions. Beautiful.

Baby's flight,  a whole two feet before landing on face.

At 7:30pm I went upstairs. Baby still on ground. Dog walkers out and about.  I don't know if this baby will survive the night.
_________________________________________

Baby sitting

From reports I'm getting from the Security guys and the various doorman who know I'm watching the cardinals it seems there could be three fledglings of various abilities.  I suspected this from the flight patterns of both parents. I've been hearing the "click click" higher in the trees. It's this third kid that has my attention, not the kid posted on the 29th.  This baby has been hunkered down in the bush, no interest in moving out. Both parents have been using food as lures. Food??  Bugs, berries and potato chips.

Visibility- one slim slot.

If I open my mouth do I get a meal??

Finally baby has stirred itself.  This is huge progress.

But an  enormous concern- its left eye is not open.

Tiny thing got into the gutter.  I  guided it out. I don't want a squashed baby on my watch.  It's raining, so we'll both get drizzled.

I wonder what this baby is perceiving, because it doesn't do the feed-me-flap. Are wings okay? Strong? Hard to tell.

Lots more pictures being processed. Baby can fly about 8" off the ground, straight line, sort of. No elevation yet.  Parents want it up a tree, flying down-up-down-up, demonstrating.  Baby doesn't get it. Can't? Won't?  It's going to have to fly up to survive.  Only time will tell.    To be continued.......

More garden observations

Hooray, a break in the weather. Sun for a change. Birding in the garden is determined by sound. Everyone is singing. Follow the sounds and find something.   I was hearing the cardinals, but could not find the baby, so I started with what was in my face, the starlings' "beach".

Juvenile intruder.  Youngster plops down and faces off with adult.

A beach spot can get crowded.

From the wood chips and plants lots of tiny bugs are hatching.   Ever try focusing on a flying bug?

Time to try and find the baby. Mama has food, is flying into a thick low bush, time to find that baby.

There's baby, rear limb, low down. When parent lands on same branch it dips down and I can't see a thing, cradle branch. Baby is the size of a small apricot.

I watched for two hours. Baby called, got some food about once an hour, napped, repeat same the whole day. Baby never made an attempt to fly off.  Both parents watching and possibly feeding a second baby in another space not far away. Heard sounds, but couldn't find the source.

_______________________________________