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Wed, May 2, 12 at 19:03
| I've posted about the cardinals nesting on our front porch. They hatched about 12- 13 days ago, and were three yesterday early evening when I left for about an hour. When I returned, I checked on them, and to my surprise there was a *large* bird sitting on the edge of the nest, gray in color, a different beak from the cardinals. I thought it was some adult bird that was intending to nest and lay eggs. This morning, I checked again. There the bird was, but it was deep in the nest with just its head up and looked like a nestling again. THEN I saw the male cardinal feeding it...and I realized...omg...had the nest been parasitized by cowbirds and that's what the cardinals were caring for the entire time? I noticed them right after our robin's nest eggs were destroyed. The male is *still* out there on our porch, trying to coax the bird out of the nest (the other two are gone and the female cardinal is still coming around). This bird is just as big as the adult cardinals. I have images, and after reading about the cowbirds, I'm thinking all three nestlings were cowbirds and the cardinal's eggs had been destroyed. I have images and sure could use some help. There are brown-headed cowbirds around, so...sigh. I've never posted images here and have to learn how to, and some are a bit blurred because I was on a small stool. But, this poor male cardinal is coming back and feeding this bird that looks very mature, and it will not leave the nest when the parent cardinals are there. However, I have a picture of it sitting on the edge of the nest from above and you can see just how long it's tail is and how well-developed it is. I don't know what to do. The cardinal's other nest is going to get parasitized if this bird doesn't leave. Poor adult birds. |
Image link: cowbird and not a cardinal nestling? need id help.. (29 k)
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by feather_z9_ncacoast (My Page) on Wed, May 2, 12 at 23:52
| that image is so dark, it's hard to tell. Do you have a higher resolution shot you could e mail to me? feather7023 at sbcglobal dot net |
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- Posted by ciaron1985 (My Page) on Thu, May 3, 12 at 0:25
| Yes..I shot at a very high resolution and had to resize. I have other photos, as well. The bird is still in the nest alone, with the male cardinal having fed it over the evening. Thank you! |
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- Posted by ciaron1985 (My Page) on Fri, May 4, 12 at 14:44
| It's a baby cardinal! And it just finally left the artificial ficus while it's parents called to it from a nearby tree! It's little "mohawk" is in, and the colors are that of a baby cardinal and not a cowbird. It just was very reluctant to leave the nest. Yesterday, it began to crawl out further onto the branches of the ficus, chip-chipping and a parent would answer back. The parents have spent so much time with this particular fledgling...I have to wonder about the safety of the other two. They're still out there. The male comes flying out from under our window shrubs when blackbirds are in the front yard and issues his "alert." What a relief...but now, that little chipmunk from next door! I started tossing seed balls into their own shrubbery to keep the chipmunk away and am using live mealworms and safflower. Might have to take down the suet, since the cowheads/blackbirds seem to like it far too much and come into territory where the fledglings are hiding. I read they will fly within 20 days. It's now 14 days since I first noticed the birds were hatched. They could have hatched before I saw them. So when should they begin to fly? I know the parents do stay with them and "train" them.. But that chipmunk! Thank you all for responding to my "cardinal adventure." What a lovely song they sing. : ) ...And I just watched the little guy hop off with both parents very near. I don't hear them now. Just so they're all safe! |
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