For a few weeks, I've noticed that the nest our favorite brown thrasher used last Spring is getting more and more cleaned up. First the leaves filling it went missing. Then the funneled base got thicker and the wind- and rain-damaged exterior looked fuller.
Guess what we found last week?
I think back to how I hated birds and have to chuckle at myself. Seeing that mama -- or maybe a brand new mama -- choose our backyard to nurture her sweet babies makes my heart swell up. Those aren't just her babies -- they're Miller babies, too.
For example, the nest happens to be in the bush right beside where our girls like to lay their eggs. Bella is the most eager egg collector in our family, but she told me that Javi should be the one collecting eggs from now on. Why? "I am a loud girl, Mama. I don't wanna scare that Mama bird away. She's gonna have our babies!"
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| Remember this photo? This nook is more Springy now, with hydrangeas blooming in that bare-branch bush and the leaves replaced with bright green moss. The hose is still thrown every which-a-way and the black bin remains. |
Even the chickens do well with the mama and her babies. Of course, the noise can be ridiculous. The chickens are squawking because one's laying eggs and one can't find the other one and then the mama thrasher goes crazy that these loud ass chickens are in her private sanctuary and I'm walking out to calm everyone down.
It was so much easier (and quieter) to just hate birds!
UPDATE: Apparently I'm not as observant as I thought. That mama bird has been sitting in that nest for at least a couple weeks. Look what we discovered this afternoon:
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| Our count is five thrasher babies. |
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| Since I was there, here's a shot of our fowl nook in the Spring. C'mon hydrangeas! They grow purple and they're my favorites! |
Now to keep those babies a secret from my baby. There's no way she'll resist lifting one of their sweet bodies up to nuzzle.
Happy birthweek babies!
But at least mama bird has you there to be the chicken diplomat! I love this. I want to come live in your backyard. Or I would if I were a bird, anyway.
Hey, at least she's a cute little bird. We had a nest of nasty magpies that would dive bomb us every time we got near the nest (or even in the backyard, at all). Hate birds. But chickens are different. And that little bird looks sweet.
Awww cute :)
That's a cute little bird. And she probably does need a mediator with as loud as the chickens can get. lol
Hope y'all will come to see those sweet hatched babies!
Love love love when springtime offers up its little surprises like baby birds in nests (or the robin's egg you find cracked open, as you take a walk). Your photos made me smile. Nothing quite so wonderful as new life.
There are birds called thrashers? Kind of a butch name for such little cuties. I love that Bella knows that she's a loud girl - Eve is the same. I think she's physically incapable of whispering.
awwwww....look at those sweet baby bird! adorable.
Love this. It reminded me when I was pregnant with my daughter and there were a set of birds who decided to build a nest on our patio light. The eggs hatched right around the time I gave birth to my little girl.