This used to be the home of Bufford the frog (inset pix), but right now it is a proud resident for a Mallard family. I just set up the birdcam hopefully I'll catch the activity as the brand new chicks fledge soon in the near future. Have you pics. of birds nesting in your garden and like to share? Please join in and share pics. Everyone is welcome.
If you're new to our threads, here is a link to previous thread. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1179269/
As DH and I set up the birdcam. I was lucky to catch a couple shots at the sweet baby ducklings;
Oh my those babies are huge, or maybe it is just the angle of the camera.... but they look like they will most certainly be leaving the nest asap....
What is going on with the cardinal baby around his eye and at the end of his beak line.... or is that how they look at this stage of the game? I've never seen a baby cardinal before....
Jan
Jan, I've seen baby cardinals but a few times myself. This is just the way a new baby looks. Like cabbage patchdolls. They are too ugly and they cute at the same time. lol
I just found a bigger Cardinal juvenile a little while ago. Pappa Cardinal has brought the youngun here to feed it before they go off to roost for the evening.
Pappa is here with supper for the little gal. Or could that be a little lad, since until they're mature, I am not sure if we can tell their gender easily.
Just an update with the ducks. The camera angle was a little off with the first try. So we re-adjusted the camera. Hopefully we'll get better lucks. In the morning I'll update with more photos. Oh, hubby and I also just discovered a couple of Carolina Wrens have managed to sneak into our garage to build a nest there. And the last couple days have seen them coming and going with bugs on their beaks. Yikes! That let us no choice but let the garage door ajar for their access in and out into the garage and back out to the garden.
Birds don't dictate to us how we'll live, do they? LOL. That's wonderful, Kim.
I'm just glad that they don't make verbal demands, Margaret. lol Later.
Ya, Margaret, like what if a bird told you to "Come on" when they wanted to go to sleep at night?
Oh Kim, I just love that duck shot. It just reminds me of my little one. They are so darn adorable.
Let me know how well you like the camera arm. I did not get that but have been thinking of doing it.
Awww, Marna. The arm works ok, only if I knew the right angle to set it up. I missed the whole departure. I went back out to the nest. And likes Kim (duckmother) has adviced that the Momma Mallard will leave the nest with the chicks in tow sometime today. Sniff sniff, I missed it. And just like Kim has said, "don't be surprised if not all the eggs hatch". Kim, there is one egg left.
On the bright side, there are seven ducklings that fledged this morning! Let's celebrate!
As I felt so longing for the babies, I looked down the point roughly hundred plus feet away from us, there the sweet Momma -- with her kids as if they were waving me good bye.
I'm almost certain the Momma is with the chicks.
Last glimpse of the farewell pix.
oh so farwell yall...... it looks like the babies are riding on the back tail feathers of momma....
so sad about the one ege left behind....
Jan
Jan, the egg wasn't fertilized as I understood it. :)) I'm thankful that I was given the opportunity to watch/glimpse at the natural development of these beautiful birds in the wild--right here in the garden. I'm glad too that I could share this with you and everyone here via this thread.
A beautiful day, wouldn't you agree?
Everyday that I'm in Florida is the most beautiful day. I love the sunshine, even if today it isn't as bright as usual. I love the warmth!
Jan
It has been a good day, as the ducks moved on. The Carolina Wrens are busy bringing home food for the young ones, here is one of the parents. I've yet seen their babies however. They've chosen the garage of places to build their nest. ^_^
aw kim, sorry you missed it. Have you tried the laser pointer? I have my camera mostly set on high sensitivity. Takes lots of pictures, but increases the likelihood of getting one.
I'm a little weary about the use of the laser, Marna. I afraid I may inadvertently harm the baby chicks as well as self injury. Can't be too careful these days. It took me awhile before the void sinks in. I missed those little ducklings terribly.
Something just perked my spirit up just now, I heard chirping noises of Carolina Wrens inside the garage. I noticed the parents haven been bringing in what looked to be like earthworms. They're very good as finding those little wiggle worms for the babies.
lily.love
on my baby robins I would always bring worms and moma would let me lay the worms on the nest. It had to be the same Robin each year as it was the same location and she become more tame to me coming over. LOL
Try finding some worms and leaving them in site of the nest, this might work for setting up your camera so you can watch them getting the worms and feeding babies.... then (of course I have a motive) you can share the pictures with us....lol
Jan
Boys! Jan, that's such a great idea. lol I'm not anywhere nearby a petshop that I can purchase mealworms this weekend. But I'll keep that in mind. What I've planned on doing over the weekend is to take a leisure boat ride down the river and look for my Mallards family. Oh yes, it's nice to learn that Robins can be so tamed. I'd love to find their nesting sites some of these day.
Here is Bufford the frog, perhaps (he) too is longing for the family ducks. ^_^
yes it is a shame that the momma duck didn't at least stay around long enough for you to get to see them all.... a boat ride to go see if you spot them sounds like a great idea.... wish I was there to join ya!
Jan
Oh Kim, I am glad that you got to see a few little ones before they set off on their journey. She may return next year to the same spot!
On to our next birding adventure...
Kim, I'm sure the duck has some type of confidence that I'm a fan. So hopefully it will return next year. Do they only nest once a year? I just saw a Mallard hanging out by the pier a little while ago. Couldn't tell it was a male or female.
Jan, what I need to do is have an open house to our friends once or twice a year. Wouldn't that be neat if we could get together, just a bunch of us gardeners and nature lovers getting around and yap? I would like that very much.
I just discovered some delightful development. While watching the 'grand daddy' Great Blue Heron at 'the point' as we called this corner of the lake....I spotted a group of young Mallards ....
At the meantime, a beautiful butterfly visits the MW nearby ....
It is roughly 2 hundred feet away, the ducks were swimming toward me....
Slowly they were heading over for a visit, I fancied. *grin
What's a beautiful morning!
Although wild, they seem to be 'right at home' with the gardener (me) who's very fond of them.
Wooohooo, I see baby ducks, I saw baby ducks!
Couple miles down from where we're. I thought I saw 3 little 'birds' bobbing on the water surface. Indeed they were little ducklings. Three of them. But the momma is nowhere to be found.
The water is kind of shallow where the ducklings were so I couldn't get any closer. So I was just happy I've got to see some of them. A great egret was also spotted down further down the river.
I was going to say that those babies were too big to be your babies... but the last one is more like the size of your babies.... wonder were the rest of the babies and momma are????
I saw sever egrets at Selby Gardens today. Meet up with another DG buddie that I just met and she took me in and gave me a personal tour. Nothing like one on one tour of a garden. Loved, but the humidity started to get to the both of us...LOL
Jan
How nice to meet up with some friends from DG. Jan the ducks that came by my garden this early morning was the brood that came from this episode earlier. Look; http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1174128/
Kim, if momma loses all babies, she probably will lay again. Otherwise, it will be pretty late in the season by the time she raises this new group.
I am glad you saw the heron but just remember, they love to eat baby ducks! The one around here hates me because I shoo him away anytime he is remotely near the baby area. lol
I am not certain how many ducklings mom had but I think the ones in the photo are too big to have just hatched. The little ducklings are usually a couple+ weeks old for mom to have a "Mom's Moment Out." She is/was probably close by and you just did not see her. If she hears a scared duck sound, she will fly back immediately! As the ducklings get bigger, she will leave them alone for longer amounts of time, but she will return to check on her crew and then she may leave again. They most likely will be on their own before they can fly. Needless to say, I keep mine until after they can fly and even longer sometimes ;o))
Kim, you think these 3 is are a couple weeks old? That maybe the case. I just wanted so bad to see "MY" little babies, lol Mallard ducks are so easy to blend in with the surrounding. I meant they camouflage so well with everything around them. Here is another pix of the 3 ducklings that I saw on our boat ride. Heron? You meant the GBH or was it the Egret too?
This message was edited Jul 11, 2011 6:46 AM
