We've been driving every other day to the Port Aransas Birding Center [Leonabelle Turnbull's Reserve] for the last twenty five days or so 'cause there is a Black Necked Stilt that has a nest in the reed grasses on the pond there. We don't have any idea when the incubation began...but I would truly love to see the Stilt babies born!! Mama and papa stilt are on the nest, or protecting their nest!! [ADDENDUM: Well, Bud and I returned on Tuesday morning to find only ONE Black Necked Stilt chick!! There were four eggs in the nest we were watching so closely....dunno what happened to the other three. So darling!! I took pictures. I will share at another time.] While walking the boardwalk out further, tho, I spotted an American Coot and the male was swimming up to the nesting female to feed her...or so I thought. While watching the show...I noticed a little red downy head pop out from under mama...she fed it what the male gave her!
AMERICAN COOT
photos taken: Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat range: American Coot
...then, as I promised last week, Bud and I returned to the swallow nesting area at Charlie's Pasture Reserve. In the pavilion's rafters several barn swallows built nests and we tried to continue tracking from the 1st sighting of the nest construction to the fledglings leaving their 1st home. About a month, maybe a bit longer, time frame from beginning to 'end' of this stage of life...
I posted the nest building here...and the 1st weekend of the hatchlings here...now I wanted to keep y'all updated with their growth. These photos were taken the week after Memorial Day Holiday Weekend [May 30th/31st]. As you can see, they have nearly outgrown their nest, the parents were not around much as they were before [only twice while we were there for the 1/2 hour]... and within a day or two the babies would be gone. We drove over to the island again in two days' time and the nests were empty. But one fledgling remained outside in the shrubbery near the pond...
...the swallows have left the building [I named him Elvis]...
BARN SWALLOW
photos taken: Charlie's Pasture Reserve - Port Aransas, Texas
habitat range: Barn Swallow
Now, share your birding experiences:
Awwwwwwww that little chick is has quite the hairdo ;-) SOOOOOO cute!
ReplyDeleteWow! Your timing is amazing! I love the Coot chick with its mama! And the swallows are just beautiful! How wonderful that you were able to go back before they left and miss that opportunity. I am really enjoying being a part of Bird d'Pot...look I was number 1 this week! :-)
ReplyDeleteah yes we use "Elvis" for the name of someone who may or may not be in the building! Great photos of the birds.
ReplyDeletethe coots have such homely little chicks that they're almost cute. the swallows DO have some of the prettiest babies. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's really neat about the Stilts. We were over at Bowdoin NWR yesterday, and I kept seeing Gulls with something in their bills - little legs were dangling down, so I figured they'd been raiding Avocet or Stilt nests of their babies. Poor little things.
ReplyDeleteI love the growing up just in time for leaving home, the Swallows are lovely.
ReplyDeleteBob I couldn't figure out how to leave a comment on your post, but the bird was gorgeous!
DeleteAdorable little ones - although I think the swallows are cuter than the coots. Thank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHi Anni, love the coot chick. It is so close, adorable shot of momma and chick..Cute swallows, they are fun to watch. Thanks for hosting, have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of birds.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a coot chick before so that is really cool. We had swallows nesting in the building across the street and I loved watching them but then last year management removed the nest and they didn't come back to rebuild. It is quieter and not so messy, but still, I really miss the emerging new life.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, your swallows grow very fast.
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful, Anni! The little ones grow so fast, don't they???
ReplyDeleteAnni, thanks for linking up with my critter post!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the coots! I love the swallows! They're one of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteAdorable little red headed baby! And I can't believe how much the swallows changed since last week! So grown up!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful opportunities you have had to watch natures wonders as they happen. Beautiful pictures and I get a kick out of the little coots bald head. The Barn Swallows nest here too, but they are far from fledging ... I am guessing they are just hatching about now. Love this post Annie ...
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From The Sol
Such sweet coot chicks and great shots for CC ~ xoxo
ReplyDeleteartmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)
Cute images. The baby Coots are almost ugly,but still cute in their own way.
ReplyDeleteAw, congratulations to the bird parents!
ReplyDeleteSometimes the babies get bigger than the parents, then the kind of loose the fluff and get sleeker. I wish I could see a coot! Those are darling pictures. Can't wait to see the baby stilt, Something bad must have happened to the others.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing first time this Feb at our city park; thanks to blog friends who made me interested in birds ;) I wish I cloud see these sweet babies (^^;)
ReplyDeleteps. So sorry for my belated comment. Busy Sat. and Sun. I'm having p;) Thank you very much for hosting,Anni;
Sending you lots of Love and Hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*
Hi Anii. A real shame about the stilit eggs and I'm guesing it was a predator whose need was greater.
ReplyDeleteYour swallows have done really well and it is certainly amazing to watch how quick they grow on all those insect goodies the parents bring. If it wasn't for swallows and other insect eating birds we'd be knee deep in bugs and biters.
Thanks for hosting the get-together.
Thanks for keeping us updated on all these little babies! I love young swallows just as they are about to leave the nest - their proportions are like cute cartoon versions of a bird!
ReplyDeleteYour Coot photos made me want to do a little further reading about your American species (we get the Eurasian one in Australia). Apparently, the orange plumes on the baby Coots serve no purpose other than to win the affections of the parent bird. They actually increase the visibility of the chick to predators, but parents are shown to be kinder, gentler and more generous to the more 'ornate' chicks, and so the trait is passed on genetically through this behaviour. Your photos show a great example of this orange colouring! :)
Wow ! Beautiful family of birds. Children with their mums look great !
ReplyDeleteHave a nice Sunday :)
Anni, great Father's Day post. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe little barn swallows are so sweet!
ReplyDeleteIt is so nice to see baby birds, they lok so ...special :-)
ReplyDeleteSorry for the rest of the stilit eggs. Life is hard out there. So well done from Mama swallow.
Have a nice week,
Pia
Hi! It would be fun if you shared the Picture of the baby stork. I will probably come up with more post on the storks when I go though the pictures from today. It was the guide from the stork project that told us they pretended to play dead. They ringed five stork babies today and they do it before they lose the play dead behavior so it is easy to handle them. It was a lovely day. We saw them on the nests with their parents and they sat up and ate from the food so this is a bahaviour that is supposed to protect them. I wish you a good week!
ReplyDeleteThe poor baby cute is a little odd looking, but cute anyway! Cute Coot. :) The swallows are beautiful from day one. Looking forward to the stilt.
ReplyDeleteGreat shot of the coot chick in the nest!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how big those swallow chicks are! They certainly grow fast.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet how the father coot gave the food to the mother so she could feed the babies. Love nature!
Have you seen the movie: Birders: The Central Park Effect? It's a documentary about bird lovers in Central Park, NY. I think you'd love it. :)
Had to switch to this post today to see your baby birdies.... I love watching the birds this time of year when they have their babies. (We humans could learn something from the birds, couldn't we?)
ReplyDeleteI was on the phone today about noon--sitting in the living room--watching the birds in my Bird Kitchen. I saw a Tufted Timouse Daddy feeding one of his babies... So sweet.
Hugs,
Betsy
love the swallow nestlings. They will soon be out of the nest I believe. :) Hope to see the stilts soon. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely blog with these birds and their little ones. The coot looks very nice but your little swallows steal the show :-)
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see.
Warmest regards, Helm
Love all your birds shots.
ReplyDeleteGreat observations Anni. What a thrill to observe nesting birds! It has been a real joy to see everyone raising their young right now. Plus baby coots and stilts are adorable:)
ReplyDeleteVery nice though having been called an old coot myself several times over recent years, I'm not sure it was intended in a complimentary vein...;)
ReplyDelete