Submitted by Gitie on 24 April, 2011 - 19:53
On our recent trip to the Bunya Mountains (native rainforest in Queensland) we were delighted to find the famous bower of the Satin Bowerbirds. the male (blue satin coloured bird below) had adorned the nest with blue objects that match his sweetheart's eyes. He was attempting to woo her and impress her with his bower building abilities.
Submitted by Gitie on 23 September, 2010 - 17:55
Novelsit Resa Nelson continues her story about how the finches in her garden trained her.
The finches have been nesting on my balcony for years, and it's common to get two nests (at different times) in the same flower basket each spring. I'm always fascinated by the behavior of each family because they're so different.
It took the parents a while to train me when to go out and buy a basket (they let me know when they're ready to build a nest), as well as how I've communicated with a mother that I only want to water the plant and not harm the nest or eggs.
She was at first upset until I showed her exactly what I was doing, and then it was like watching a light bulb go off over her head and all I had to do from that point on was show the water bottle to her and she would fly off to let me water and stay calm instead of getting upset.
Submitted by Gitie on 23 September, 2010 - 16:00
I love your website! I've been a huge fan of birds all my life and have friends who are bird rehabilitators. Your stories about birds are charming. My readers know how much I love birds, and I'm sure they'd love to learn about your site! I have a Red-Tailed Hawk that I've befriended (by chasing away crows that were mobbing it). But what my readers know best are my stories of how Purple Finches nest on my balcony every year, just a foot from my window. In fact, I plan to post a video on YouTube of great footage I got of the babies exercising their flight muscles and nearly flying out of the nest before they were ready and will send you the details shortly.
-- Resa Nelson, Author,
'Our Lady Of The Absolute' - out now!
http://resanelson.com/september-28-special-offer/
Each year Purple Finches nest one foot from my window.
In each family, one baby takes a leadership role and does something unique.
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In this family, the baby leader perches on the edge of the nest.
Then...
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the perching baby exercises its flight muscles by flapping its wings.
It's two siblings watch...
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This is something I've never seen a baby Purple Finch do
before. It's stretching it's legs.
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Notice the tufts of baby fuzz on the birds' heads. Here
it's easier to see the markings and colouring of the baby's breast.
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The dominant baby has returned to the nest.
One of its siblings decides to try its wings.
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...And the were a little more startling than expected.
Tomorrow I'll post the video so you can see what happens next!
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Click here for Part 2
