Mockingbird Nest Discovery
About a month ago, we realized a mockingbird had a nest in the crepe myrtle by our back door.
Whenever we stepped out of the house, she’d fly from her nest to the nearby fence.
Watching her with delight each day, we observed that she was a friendly bird who had great trust in us.
She’d allow me to get the big clippers to reach up high to snip off old seed pods to make way for new blooms.
Amazingly, she never dive-bombed me like many a blue jay has done.
Mockingbird Babies Hatch
Imagine our surprise when last week the kids realized the babies had hatched!
Although the nest is over our heads, we’d see their little heads bob up with their beaks pointing to the sky, their mouths wide open, waiting for dinner!
All atingle with excitement, watching this cute scene was the best part of each day.
Eventually we realized there was a daddy bird helping too.
Learning about Mockingbirds
Recommended by The Outdoor Hour Challenges blog is The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstockwhich, I’ve recently purchased.
We learned that mockingbirds hatch three broods a season.
Mockingbirds like to build their nests near humans, and they especially like gardens! =)
Mockingbirds get their name because they can imitate other birds.
From first-hand experience we’ve learned that they can imitate any sound they hear, such as house alarms and car alarms.
Survival during Hurrican Dolly
Last week Hurricane Dolly blew in to South Texas.
After she became a tropical storm the next day, we got a heavy downpour, over 3″ of badly needed rain.
As the winds ferociously picked up, blowing the rain sideways, I feared for the birds.
Wanting to get that nest and bring the mockingbird family safely inside, I instead kept an eye on them.
Throughout the entire storm Mamma bird sat on top of those birds in that nest, bracing herself while the winds furiously blew, and the rain poured down.
Tenaciously she protected her young ones.
Later we found out there was a tornado warning during this time, but thankfully there was no damage.
The temperatures dropped 20 degrees.
Mamma bird stayed with her babies through most of the afternoon before she started getting more food for them. They must have been starving!
Chirping Babies Hungry for Grub
That evening, my son decided to video tape them with his camera.
Hearing the babies chirping the next day brought big smiles to our faces.
Every time Mamma bird came back with the food, their high pitched voices peeped: me, me, me, me, me!
It was so sweet.
With vacation coming soon, we began to fear they’d leave the nest while we were gone.
On Sunday afternoon, I realized I hadn’t heard a single peep.
hmmmmmm I looked out of the back door and lingered there a while…waiting…watching. Nothing.
hmmmmmm Later my son came running into the house from the backyard upset that he found one of the babies was in the middle of the backyard, dead.
My daughter and I ran out back with my son. Oh, how sad we were. It was heartbreaking. How fragile life is.
