The Underwoods ABC's: July 2012

It all started with my Mother's Day alcove remodel.

Before

After

Then we began to notice a birdie spending a lot of time in that hanging flower pot

And I'm sure you can guess what we found

When we found it there were just 3 eggs, the next day was the fourth, and then there were no more new eggs. That meant we had about 2 weeks before they hatched.

I spent a lot of time in my newly refurbished alcove (especially around coffee time) which made mama birdie a little peeved at first but then she got used to me. At first she would fly away whenever anybody opened the front door and come back every few minutes or so to check if we were gone and fly back off if we were still there. Eventually she would come sit on her nest even when I was in there as long as I wasn't moving around too much. I think she was more afraid of Marley. But it was kind of nice earning her trust and enjoying her company with my morning coffee.

The kids were of course intrigued. We checked those eggs a couple times a day. And if their presence was causing mama to be away from her nest too long I'd direct them elsewhere so mama could keep those eggs nice and warm. Even Charlotte enjoyed watching and looking and whenever I brought the basket down for an inspection, she listened well and never tried to touch (even after they hatched). She would even point up to the basket and say "Baby Birdie" which meant she wanted to see them.

Then my hubby and I left for our week long anniversary trip. I was pretty sure I'd miss their hatching and wondered if they'd all make it. But this is what we came come to.

All 4 eggs had successfully hatched! They could have only been a few days old. Just like when they were eggs, there was lots of frequent baby birdie welfare checks but now there was less quality time with mama as she was out looking for food. Daddy was no dead beat dad either. He was constantly standing guard and helping out mama. I think they're Red Breasted Finches. Mama was not so bright but daddy was.

We continued to watch them grow over the next few days but we weren't home long before we left for another week. I was pretty sure they'd be gone by the time we got home :-(

It looked like all four babies were healthy and thriving. I thought they'd do just fine. I did let the puppy/house sitter know just so he wouldn't water the nest by accident.

Sure enough, the nest was empty when we got back. I asked the house sitter how they did. He let me know that all 4 had flown away only just that morning when he lifted the basket down to water. I was a little sad I didn't get to see them grown but happy for mama and her 4 health babies!

Right before we left this last time, we were sitting in our family room watching TV when Avery Eagle-eyes Underwood (she's remarkably good at spotting wildlife) noticed a humming bird sitting on a nest in an Aspen just outside our window.

Upon closer inspection, they were already hatched

We watched them grow

and grow, before we left

and when we came home......

they had grown from nestling to fledgling

Mama humming bird was not as fond of me as mama finch. While mama finch would fly away and I could get pictures of her cuties, mama humming bird would stalk and sneak up on me when she caught my camera near her nest. She was so stealthy. She scared me on several occasions.

We finally started to get some rain around here and mama humming bird would sit over her babies with all three of their little beaks pointed up in the air

But then one day something happened

I spooked one of the little birdies while trying to take a picture and he flew away! He flew towards the side yard but I didn't think he could clear the fence to the front yard. I looked for him both back and front and nothing. I began to think that perhaps he was ready to leave the nest and that maybe there was no reason to worry and then I saw mama. Mama was in a frenzy. Crap! If mama was this worried than he was obviously not ready to leave yet. I watched mama crying out flying to every tree, nook, even the hanging baskets out front as well as the field across the street. She did a thorough search and she couldn't find him either! I felt horrible. Mama and I continued to search for a couple hours. At one point I opened the back door and stepped out onto my patio and saw mama 20 feet up towards the back of the yard. She was yelling at me. She swooped down and I covered my face but she stopped just short and continued to scold me. I deserved it.

A little while later while making another sweep, I saw mama hovering over the pine tree next to the aspen where her nest was. Her behavior was different. Not as angry but still really protective.

I went into my house so I could see past the pine tree without disturbing mama and then I saw him. He was on the middle rung of our fence. I know he wasn't there earlier but he had made his way closer to the nest. I went outside to make sure he wasn't injured, he didn't seem to be. But then I just sat and wondered what to do while he made little calls out to his mom, and mom kept looking for him. She could hear him and knew he was close by but kept missing him.

I went inside to do some internet research. I kept hearing my mom's voice say "if you touch him, his mom will reject him". Well that turns out not to be the case. Birds have a horrible sense of smell plus they are not so inclined to give up on their young as I knew was true after watching mama all day. I went to look out the window and mama had located him and was feeding him! But the nest was still up so high and a storm was brewing with little birdie exposed and no protection whatsoever. Everything I read said to get him to his nest. I grabbed some Tupperware and went outside. I placed the Tupperware over the little guy and coaxed him off the fence. I brought him inside just so I could figure out how to handle him. Somehow he got twisted up so that his leg was over the top of is wing. I didn't know if it was from his first flying attempt and it was a permanent injury or if it was something mama could fix. I spent all day looking for him, was so relieved to find him but now he might be beyond hope. I felt worse. I decided to leave it alone and carefully put him in his nest, came inside and watched from the window. He tried to get situated but was too tangled and he fell :-(

I went and found him. I had to try to fix him without hurting him and hope that a few more days in the nest would allow him time to heal. He was so indescribably light and his heart beat so fast. He made the cutest chirps and would open his mouth as if he was about to be fed. I gently tried to lift his claw from around his little birdie armpit and after a couple of attempts he untwisted! He seamed normal but I couldn't be sure of anything. As I went to place him in his nest a second time, he tried to fly so I opened my fingers so that his wings wouldn't get damaged but kept my thumb and fore finger loose around his neck. He seamed uninjured from the ordeal! Everything was working as it should! I settled him into his nest and went inside to watch. Sure enough mama came right away with food.

I vowed not to take anymore pics and give them their space. 2 days later my baby was gone. I was pretty confident he was out with mama but did a sweep just in case. Mama came back to feed the remaining nested baby every so often but was mostly out. The next day the other baby left. I know they're nearby because I still see mama and she still yells at me but that just lets me know she still has something to protect and for that I'm grateful.

What a fun Summer project this has been for my family.

I cannot begin to tell you how much we enjoyed watching all 6 of these little birdies grow and how thankful I am that they all made it (even with my interfering). I hope we're privileged enough to host some more nesting mamas next year.

All babies really are a remarkable joy and it is such a heart-warming experience to watch their little lives take shape.

Speaking of which, my littlest birdie turns 2 today!

Here are our June happenings as recorded through Instagram:

Rub-a-dub-dub, 3 girlies in my tub

This child is hit or miss with the whole potty training thing

She peed through her pull-up and all over her car seat and this was the only thing I could find in my car for her to wear. Need to pack an extra outfit!

Waiting for big sister Isabelle's 8th grade continuation

Sleeping Beauty Flowers

Momma robin laid her eggs in my mother's day present! How fitting.

Birthday Brie

Company picnic at the amusement park

Where my niece so happens to work

Fresh coconut

She likes to go in then out and then back in again, while I enjoy my morning coffee

Bottlecap Boys in Durango

Start of our week long anniversary trip through south western CO.

Hiking

Mesa Verde

Our pretty drinks

Our hotel

Driving into Silverton

I heart cute old buildings

Driving into Ouray

Stream by our B and B

Swings at a bar! Brilliant.

Our room

Top of Box Canon looking over the town

Cascade falls

Happy hour on the porch

We had visitors

Hanging lake

Spouting rock

Spent the night in Gleenwood. It was fun to revisit the place where my cul-de-sac would always go for the fourth of july growing up. We even ate at the same restaurant that was our tradition and it was still fabulous.