Our little tree swallow is STILL with us. He’s? been curious and looking out much of the day. He sits in the door to the box and looks out, but has always backed down and returned to the box. I wasn’t around much of the morning, but when I was, Mom was calling to him. I haven’t seen Dad for a couple days now. 

Our song sparrows have decided the mulch around the azaleas in front of the deck makes for a good dirt bath. Took me awhile to figure out what was making the noise that sounded like a bear rummaging through the shrubs. 

Ok, I’m gonna start calling this guy Michael Rotondo as he doesn’t want to leave. Mom has been calling all day – can birds go hoarse? She’s popped in a couple times with food for the chick. Dad seems to have given up feeding the chick. 

Our hummingbirds have returned in force. Over the last couple weeks, we had occasional visits to the feeders. Rarely did two birds show up to contest the feeder. Yesterday, I noticed we’ve once again got a full time battle in progress. There’s one male that sits on the nearby perch and chases off any other males and some of the females that dare try use his feeder. At one point this afternoon, we had six birds in full swoop to decide who got to feed. 

Mom appears to have decide it is time for Junior to get a move on. She’s been sitting on the perch in front of the box calling  almost all day. She’s made only a couple trips in to feed the chick. We haven’t seen dad feed the chick all day. But, the chick just isn’t ready to go. He’s? spent much of the day peering out the entrance. A couple times we thought he was ready to go, but he always turned back. 

Our tree swallow chick hasn’t decided to venture out yet. He’s? curious about the world, spending more time looking out. Mom and dad continue to feed him, but also spent some time perched outside calling to him. The book says that last Wednesday was the first day he could have fledge, and that he may stick around until Thursday. 

Our swallow chick remains in the box. Mom and dad are perched outside calling, but the chick doesn’t seem interested. We’ve had a couple hot, humid days. Maybe the chick is waiting for better weather? This is the third day since we could have expected him? to fledge. 

More sad news from the swallows today. Friday morning, both remaining chicks looked good and healthy. Both were moving around and feeding eagerly. I went out for a few hours, when I returned, dad was sitting in the box and one chick was active. When dad moved, I could see the other chick had died. No idea what happened. The remaining chick could fledge as soon as Wednesday. 

Sad news from the tree swallows. We’ve lost two chicks. I didn’t see what happened to them, but with the kestrel making repeated tries to get them, I fear he was successful. The remaining two chicks seem to be doing well. 

A quick check on our swallow chicks. Mom and dad have been busy hauling groceries in for the chicks. And, they’ve had to chase the kestrel away several times. A couple of times while they’re chasing the kestrel over the yard, another pair of swallows have joined in. 

Our catbirds haven’t been around today, but there are two hairy woodpecker fledglings that have learned to work the suet feeder. 

Checking in on our tree swallows on July 4. The swallows had some excitement in the afternoon, a male kestrel repeatedly tried to get into the swallow’s box. Not sure if the swallows managed to drive him off, or if the hole was too small for him to get in. Either way, the chicks were not harmed. 

This morning, we’ve got a hairy woodpecker feeding two fledglings from the suet feeder and five catbird fledglings in the yard.