Spring Has Hatched

Did you want an update on our little bird family?  First, we were happy to see Mrs. Sparrow seamlessly adjust to her new location, and continue to tend her eggs.

The nest is now too high for me to look into easily, so I sort of stopped checking on it, figuring we would hear "cheep, cheeps" if the eggs hatched.  Because I know basically nothing about birds except what I've read in board books.  Ed has been peeking in occasionally, and the eggs have remained.  We're not even sure what kind of bird it is, much less when the eggs were laid, and definitely no idea about gestation/incubation periods, just that babies are born in the spring (board book.)  Last Sunday Ed peered in, and wondered if maybe they wouldn't hatch, since we send Mother bird flying away too often.  That saddened me.

Then yesterday my sister and nephew were visiting and they asked about the nest.  I told them what Ed had said, so Thompson wanted to take a peek.  He raised his 6' frame up on tippies, and said, "Uh, they've hatched."  What?!  Flurry, flurry, what do I do?  "Yeah, there's a bunch of fuzzy babies in there."  Omygosh, where's my step stool?  Where's my camera?

Uh...

 Uh...

 There they are!  I couldn't believe it.  Even though that's how nature works.  But I'm not used to being this close.  And I love it. 

When Ed came home I was so excited to tell him, and he said, "Oh, yeah, I saw the mother feeding them the other day."  Thanks.  Because we communicate like that. 

Anyway, this morning we saw them feeding, so I interrupted just for a few more pictures, then closed the door and left them to it. 

Mr. Sparrow seems to be back on the scene, and both parents were working hard to get the hatchlings fed, only flying only to the nearest branch when I came out; I could feel the heat of their glare.

We have a field guide, but based on descriptions of several small eastern birds, we're still not sure exactly what we have.  Poppy likes birds, so my parents gave her this bird feeder for Christmas.  It sits outside our dining window, so she can see it from her high chair.  Word travels fast when it's filled up, and we have quite the aviary mob descend, to the point that Ginger gets scared by the storm of flapping when we leave the house.  So when it runs out, we let it stay empty for awhile.  But, inspired by our new little family, I filled it up today; maybe the Mr. & Mrs. can get a little something for themselves.  Call it date night.