It's Baby Bird Time!

Baby birds start out as small as this. The first time I saw one -- with such thin skin you could see all their blood moving through their veins, with eyes undeveloped, and the tiniest little half limbs -- I didn't believe it could possibly eat or live.

But even in such a vulnerable state, that little rim of bright school bus yellow opens wide as soon as food it put near and every morsel delivered is consumed with great vigor. It's flabbergasting, and only reinforces what miracles of nature go on every day, all around us, all the time.

As they grow, the little half-limbs I mention become strong and feathered wings, their eyes mature and finally open, their little legs get strong enough to shoot their growing bodies straight up when I walk by because I MEAN FOOD (and they want it every 15 minutes it seems, except at night, when birds settle in for sleep) and their little yellow beaks open to reveal the brightest pink and red mouths. Here's what I see when I walk by a tank:

Now once the bird gets to a beginning fledgeling, we move them to bigger tanks and put them in a room that's enclosed in netting, as when you open the lid, often a hungry baby now can flit up and out. Here is one who did just that but simply perched close to me on the lid of the tank next to it. Generally speaking, it's often the babies who are most aggressive get the most food in the nest -- though some experienced mothers make sure everyone gets enough. But this little guy kept hopping out to beat out his or her two siblings who stayed in the tank.

Fledgelings add flapping their wings and making much noise, squawking "SEE ME, FEED ME, ME ME ME mom!!!!" Now when I'm out in late springtime I can make out fledgling squawkings. If I take a second or two to look, and indeed I do, I manage to find a nest and a mother nearby.

At some point, that turns into the babies taking their first tentative steps out of the nest, so you may see them actually sitting on a branch next to it, looking all fluffy and even a little like their molting as bigger feathers begin to replace their baby fuzz. Soon they begin flying lessons I think, since I've seen them trying to hop to nearby twigs following the mother who hops ahead of them -- I assume she's showing them how it's done.

I think grackles must be like those kids who never stop going to college, or come home to live after... they look fully grown and still hop after their mothers flapping their perfectly competent wings, insisting loudly that their mother give them half of whatever she's got. The more you observe, them more you realize that animals are really not that much different than us in so many ways!

Do you Believe It? Playing Catch with Wild Birds

Wild birds -- Blue Jays and red-headed woodpeckers to be exact -- play catch with me in the park. No, really.

Who hasn't had sparrows zoom out from nowhere for your crumbs when you're at an outdoor cafe? And in these parts, if any of the other animals are getting fed, grackles appear and want their share. They're incredibly sharp.

So I guess it's not that far a stretch to think that the other birds could. But these birds sit on a nearby branch (or in the woodpeckers case, on a tree trunk) - and make eye contact with me. I show them the piece of nut or sunflower seed and when I know they've seen it I toss it -- and they swoop down and catch it in the air! They land on a branch and eat it, then return for more.

I know it's hard to believe... but, I finally caught it on film. I've several bad tries -- shooting with one hand on a little pocket digital cam (while my nice HD movie cam I bought to take with me sits at home), while spotting birds, rustling up a nut with the other hand, aiming and tossing, and trying to follow without it blurring. I'm not talented enough to do it all... but I did get this where you can see it in his mouth when he lands.

And of course, when one comes, several follow. You'll see another Blue Jay waiting for his behind the one I shot. I threw another piece in the air but he picked it up when it was on the ground (it was a bad toss), OK, are you ready? Here we go!



Woo Hooo! Isn't that fabulous? If you play it again you can see it starts with the bird on the tree trunk, where he flew to get my attention. I have never seen that happen before. I figure they cackle among themselves about how they've trained ME.

I'm in constant wonder and amazement at this and it has happened many times, so it's not just a fluke... and it's not just in one part of the woods, with the same birds. I'm telling you, someone spread pixie dust across this little park, and it's my personal slice of heaven on earth.

Take a Deep Breath

As promised in my HEN story of a few days ago found by CLICKING HERE-- the strange call of the long tailed Grackle.

I learn mostly about animals by observing their behavior. I ask questions wherever I can, in fact, I run the risk of being that annoying question person. But I do have enormous curiosity about everything... Of course it can led me to Google a little and read up in books. But I don't have much spare time.

In this case, I've observed a strange call in the long tailed Grackle. Only see it in the males (females are brown, males are the irridescent indigo blue-black you see below). I assumed it was a kind of mating call, since many males puff up what they've got to impress a female. But while sometimes another grackle is nearby, it's usually another male. So one might assume that it's a fighting posture -- again, another reason to make ones self bigger. But I've never witnessed a fight ensue. The call is also different. If you look here as the grackle comes up behind the chicken, it makes a mechanical sound, like someone's turing on a loudspeaker to test it before an announcement.

Or you have this other sound... more of a wind up noise. Sorry in advance for the wind in the microphone.... but I got a better shot of one doing it by complete chance.




Both time the bird inflates fully and opens it's beak, the noise comes out and he deflates to less than half the size, then... nothing. I've also tried to figure out if this only happens at certain times of the day or the year, without much luck... Anyone out there with answers? Clues even?

The Snow White Effect

... captured badly on film:

I took a sunset walk with lots of food in my bag. I stopped by a little bridge that crosses a hidden finger of the lake, where very few people walk by. This is where some smart mothers have their babies, as they will be somewhat protected. But what can protect you from a mother who decided that she'd had enough?

I went hoping to see that an abandoned baby duck I'd noticed the day before had made it through the night. Happily, she had. Seems she's been left by her mother, which happens more than you'd think. Last spring it happened in this same spot with a set of five babies. They were a little bigger than this guy when orphaned and at least they all had each other. I watched them grow into teenagers and at that stage, you know they are OK.

I'd first noticed the errant mother and her sole remaining baby last week together, in the same shallow reeds by this bridge, but I haven't seen them together since. Once I saw the little one alone I knew it was for good. Of course I woke up several times in the night with worries that she'd be pulled under by a snapping turtle (probably the fate of her many siblings) or something else. So I made a beeline back as soon as I got the chance

And there she was, eating insects of the surface of the water. She eagerly scooped up my breadcrumbs which I'd broken into the tiniest of pieces for her tiny beak. It was nice and quiet, a moment for just us two...

All at once there were rabbits coming out of the underbrush, a squirrel or two running up for nuts, bluejays screaming from the branches above me, 6 ducks swimming over for bread, a few long tailed grackles cawing for a morsel and a common sparrow spiriting away with the crumbs. A trio of frogs I couldn't see started singing in the distance and a Nutria surfaced and began to clean himself with his front paws before noshing on the reeds.

I did a bad job of getting movies, but I did it to try to capture why I feel like Snow White when I come to this place. Animals of all kinds come out of nowhere, but as soon as a dog or other people come along, they scamper, hop, fly and swim away.

Continued...



I'd already fed her plenty but I wanted to give her some more as the bigger she gets the less she will seem like easy prey. As you can see, the other 6 ducks dominated. The trick is to feed the big ones to distract them and then get something to the baby at the same time.

I went to the feed store and bought some actual chick feed for her for next time. Let's all say a little prayer she's there. All she needs is another week or two and she'll be well on her way to a nice long life.

One day I'll have a videographer with me so I can feed all these animals coming at me without trying to also get pictures... Or, since I do have a film degree myself, I might take the expensive HD movie camera I bought for this purpose but never bring with me... Shoot the amazing things that go on around me with a camera that doesn't rack in and out of focus because I zoom in too fast... and I will be able to edit out the bad parts and splice things together. Until then, thanks for bearing with me!

More Hitchock

There's a time of year when the trees are laden with black birds, chatting up a storm. Here is a movie I took of a few trees full at night around the theater district in downtown Houston. This was taken about a month ago and I never got a chance to post it.



I don't know if these are grackles coming back from somewhere from mating time, or if it's a similar looking group of birds migrating through on their way to some other destination.

I have come to love the long tailed grackles that are so common here, which I had never seen in other cities I've lived before.
This time of year they build their nests and have babies, and they sing in a way I don't hear in the fall. It's created a Pavlovian response in me... I hear it and am filled with all kinds of pleasant memories and feelings, as they were the first animal that really caught my attention upon moving here. Previously, living in NYC, I had very little contact with nature, and if I did, it was in the form of grass and water and sunsets on the island's outer edges or from dogs passing on the city streets. The very first baby birds in their nests I've ever seen were when the grackles built them in the trees just below my apartment deck in the high rise I lived in 2 years ago. Their song woke me up at 5 AM every morning in the spring. I'd go bleary eyed into the misty gloaming before sunrise and peer down, often with binoculars, to watch the babies and their progress.... that led to the park, which led to the zoo, which led to the wildlife rehab and look at how much animal interaction I have in my life now!

And it all started with a black bird in a tree....

To read more about black birds click HERE and grackles click HERE and HERE.

Can you see the Blue Jay in this picture?

The one who is waiting on the branch, looking at me, wanting me to throw him or her some bread or a piece of a nut?

I've joked about feeling like Snow White when I walk in the park near my house, as all the animals come out to me and take food from my hand. When other animals are getting fed, some kind of word goes out because before long, layer upon layer of the animal kindgom shows up to get theirs. If I'm feeding ducks the geese come, then the squirrels, then Grackles, then Blue Jays and then, if I'm really lucky, the red headed woodpeckers show up. The Grackles are smart, as I wrote about HERE, and they eye you and wait for that bread and go after it. But the Blue Jays bomb dive from the branches and nab their own.


Here is a close up.
His head is tilted slightly so he can eye me... I will hold up the bit of bread (or morsel of an almond I've cracked to size with my teeth if that's all I have on me) and he will do the amazing thing of letting me know quite clearly that he sees it. I toss it in the air and he flies off the perch at the right time to get it.

I've had the rare treat of having red headed woodpeckers do this too. Woodpeckers one up the Blue Jays though.

Forced to perch parallel on a tree trunk, their beaks pointing at the tree itself, it's a trick to look at me at all. But they too fix their sights on what I hold up... but when I toss it to them, they soar off the tree, catch it in the air and sail off like a streak of lightening to land on the closest trunk with it. Once they gulp it down, they're back staring me down for another. Again, catch my offering in mid air. I was absolutely stunned when this first happened... and honestly, I'm stunned every time it does.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Beauty in The Eye of the Beholder

I love watching birds take their baths. They find water anywhere and turn it into their own personal spa. Here is a perfect example. A little grassy pool, where several grackles are at play....

But when I broaden the view you'll find it's actually roadside ditch, astride broken pavement and wire fencing. What you don't see is that this area is under a bunch of toxic electrical wires and across the road is a recycling plant filled with overflowing dumpsters...

The secret to life is to find the beauty and screen out the rest when you can.

And Now, A Moment of Hitchcock

I have come to love Grackles, and am amazed at their numbers in certain areas -- most notably by Kroger stores come to think of it -- when they alight in trees and on electrical lines at sunset.

At certain times of year there are flocks of some kind black birds that fly together in what looks like a dark cloud (they could be grackles but seem smaller). I will have to ask someone at the wildlife center or the zoo who knows what they are and what the cause for this pattern is. The cloud morphs in front of your eyes as the birds change direction in unison. A few days ago I saw a group who had come to rest and had to pull over and shoot it. I bought a fancy high def movie camera but so far only shoot the little movies you see here with my digital camera...



I love how the tight black lines criss cross against the canvas of blue and pink sky while black dots become black bodies with wings. Very arty of the gods to juxtapose such elements, to delight the souls who notice. If only there was a way for you to view these videos full screen...

For their number, the birds were relatively quiet -- much quieter than the wind and traffic. But there is a deafening chirp-fest that goes on in the trees at dusk that clearly reveals that the branches are full of birds, though it's really hard to see any. It always makes me smile, and I often stop to marvel at it. I have come to call it Grackle Happy Hour. I managed to snag an example of it for you.

Today I was driving home with frozen yogurt and went by a tree in the middle of the road where you could really hear them. I had to capture it for you. I did a U-turn, flicked my camera on and hung my arm out the window (I wasn't seeing what I got, just hoped for the best as it was about sound anyway) and drove slowly by this tree. I think I've got it (turn up the volume) and the ice cream didn't melt too badly in the process.



And notice --- you don't see ONE bird, do you???? Has anyone else observed this phenomenon?

Fast Facts

I learned that the grackle is unique in that they dip whatever morsel they've found in water before they eat it.  I watch them do this all the time with the bread I throw them, but I figured they did it because it was too hard/stale, lol.

I tried to get a picture of a fledgeling doing this Saturday, using a rain puddle, but she was too skittish and I could not get close enough with only my iphone for a camera.  I'll keep trying though.

Until then, I found someone got movies of this and posted it on YouTube.

I'm jealous but 'til I can get my own movie of it, I'd rather you see it. Grackles in Houston have much longer tails than these.

Learning to FLY

The most common bird around here is the long tailed grackle. They look like blackbirds and are quite big as birds go -- bigger than bluejays and cardinals. The females don't have the long tail and they are brown, joining most females in the bird world who have have less visual pizzaz than their men. The boys' feathers have a distinct deep blue sheen to their black plumage, iridesent like an opal. They don't hop, they strut. They are really sharp too... they may look nonchalant, but they know when you're around and if you toss a crumb or seed their way they're on it immediately and in a flash, back for more.

Until we moved in mid February, we lived on the 6th floor of a high rise, just above a row of trees. When Spring came they became grackle condos, their boughs swaying with found twigs, the mothers tucking the edges just so while the fathers held court high on an outer limb, emitting their strange mechanical caw. Every morning, you'd hear the chatter rise with the sun. I am NOT a morning person but many dawns found me on the porch with binoculars watching these things with the awe of a child. In all my years, somehow I'd managed to miss this going on around me. I could peek into several grackle nests and every now and then be treated to seeing the babies pop their heads up. But I never saw them leave the nest or learn to fly because the trees leaves grew too full by that time.

Yesterday I had to kill time waiting for the zoo to open. I noticed a racket going on over head and looked up to see two females fighting in the tree I stood beneath. They separated for a moment on different branches, then collided again, then separated still squawking at each other. I noticed a small grayish -brown, rather furry looking thing a bit higher up, partially obscured by leaves. It was very still. I was trying to figure out what it was, when one of the females flew past my face to the fence post beyond my shoulder. As I was turning to look at her, the fuzzy little thing swooped down along the same path in a bit of a zig zag and made an unsteady landing on the top wire of the fence itself. It was clearly a bird, but one that I'd never seen before. It had wings but the feathers were choppy, like how your bangs turned out if you tried to cut them yourself when you're seven. It was more plump than long, and it had a tail but it looked like a cat had taken a bite out of it.

Within 10 seconds the female grackle took a short flight from the post to the closest branch and the little bird followed more confidently. This time it managed to pick a branch more quickly, grabbed hold with it's little claws and landed. Just then the adult took off for a slightly higher branch, and the little one followed. I realized I was watching a mother giving her fledgling flying lessons.

Within the hour I saw two more fluffy babies sitting on branches, presumably near their nests, feeling the breeze and taking life in, with the safety of their mother perched close by. It just could not believe I saw three in one day after two years of watching daily for from my patio and on my many walks in the park and never seeing a one!

How magical it is to be this engaged in and delighted by L-I-F-E. Nature has done it's thing for centuries, but I feel new to it all, just like the fledgelings. I've traveled the world, and had the privilege to do a lot of very interesting, exciting and meaningful things. As I approach the half-century mark in my own, little lifetime, how amazing that it all comes back down to the things that are simplest and smallest.

Thank you to birdfeeders 101 for this borrowed picture.