On Monday, the Curve-Billed Thrashers were sitting on the nest they were building (March 14) in the jumping cholla on the levee . If you look carefully, you can see the eye of a second bird to the lower left of the more obvious one. Perhaps this is one of the babies.
The nest is very-well built. When I walked by yesterday evening, it appeared to be empty.
However, I looked over at a nearby palo verde tree and saw a thrasher with a choice delicacy in its beak. I left the nest area and walked up the levee to the shelter of a mesquite.
I watched as both parents flew in and out of the nest. I could hear the excited babies cheeping whenever a parent showed up. This photo shows one of the thrashers leaving the nest after bringing food.You can see here how sheltered the nest is from predators. I doubt if many predators would care to negotiate that cholla.
CACTUS WREN
I've seen the Cactus Wren flying in and out of the nest on the levee, but the nest is quite high, and the jumping cholla is very, very prickly. There's no way to photograph any activity in the nest without encroaching on it and disturbing the inhabitants. I don't know if there's any breeding activity there or if the nest is a roosting nest.
RED-TAILED HAWK
The hawks continue to use the eucalyptus as a look-out, but there's been no activity on the old nest across the street that the Red-Tailed Hawks were working on in January. Presumably they've found somewhere else to raise their young this year.
MOURNING DOVES
See yesterday's post. I'll update when there's any new activity.
7 comments:
Thank you (again) Pam. It's like I witness a little miracle everytime I drop by for a visit at your site. Just love those piccies and the descriptions. It's just so special. Iecort's all I can handle - too much more of this exquisiteness and I just might explode! :)
No, 'lecort's' isn't garbled French, it's a mix up with the word verification! Sorry - it's meant to be it's! Call it one of my idiosyncracies - emphasis on the idio part! I seem to do it every so often. (Yes, I'm blonde!)
What a treat to visit your blog! You always have something to delight me. Your photos are wonderful. I am in love (is it in like?) with the Thrasher and the grub.
That little eye peering out from the lower part of the nest. How achingly cute. Beautiful series of photos. Lovely documentation of the sweetest side of life.
That is the first thrasher pic I have seen... cute :-)
Your passion for birds and nature shows so clearly in these fascinating post. Thank you for sharing!!!
chiefbiscuit - Thanks for visiting and commenting. I love the Internet - knowing that you're reading my blog from New Zealand! Wow!
endment - It's mutual. Your own poetry and images are magical. I was thrilled to see the Thrasher waiting patiently for me to leave so it could get on with feeding its babies.
rd- Isn't it amazing! I'm so enjoying all the webcams, the new life around me, and the sharing of nestings with other bloggers.
cynthia - Glad you liked the Thrasher. I'm so happy to have them around.
jllove - Thank you! This is a new-found joy for me and I'm thoroughly revelling in it.
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