We went to the National Aviary today, one of my favorite Pittsburgh hangouts. I love the birds and at the Aviary, there are birdies everywhere. Here, photos of a few of them:
That's a worm in there.
Ella holds up a fish to feed one of the "Wetland" birds
Fish in beak
After our last trip to the Aviary, I went home and realized that really, we have an Aviary in our own backyard--minus the scary birds like the vultures, hawks and falcons. I love listening to them in the morning when I wake up. A beautiful chorus.
Meet Romeo. For awhile, he was at our back door every day pecking, puffing himself up and, unfortunately, pooping. We named him Romeo because we think he was seeing his reflection in the window and thinking it was a potential mate.
Mama bird
Sitting on her nest, this good mama let me get only so close before...
flying away...
and chewing me out for disturbing her
after a few days, we saw this
Our newest neighbors. Their mama built her nest in a bush just down from our front door. We check on it every day, worried that a predator will come and get her babies. It's amazing that they can survive really. All skin and tufts.
The barbaric Yawp telling the world "I'm here!"
And--two of my birdies. I always tell them, "Little birdies in their nest agree" * Then I ask them why that should be so. They say, "otherwise, they'll fall out and be eaten by the cat." So true.
*From Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I guess Matthew touching the eggs didn't cause too much damage. I'll have to show the kids the hatched eggs.
ReplyDeleteOur bluebirds are still in the nesting box. I am hoping to see some babies fledge, but so far we've only seen mom and dad bluebird at the box. I tried to look in once, but it's pretty dark in there and I couldn't see anything or hear any chirping.
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