Friday, June 12, 2015

House Sparrows (Moineaux domestiques) Fledge in Our Yard

     These days I spend at least a couple of hours each day watching the four young Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus at the CTV towerin anticipation of their first flight, and during my stint this morning I started to think about the family of House Sparrows Passer domesticus that recently fledged in our backyard.
     That day (23 May) I took Will and Eddie, the two youngest grandchildren, to the Young Naturalists Club, but Miriam placed a chair in front of the nest box and took a series of pictures as the young left the nest. Here is one about to emerge.




     Despite the fact that it was fledge day the parents were still very attentive and bringing food.




     One would think this behaviour would be counter-productive in terms of coaxing the young out of the nest, but feed them they did.



     At ever shorter intervals, however, the young birds were coming to the hole, and finally they all left to find their own way in the world. Needless to say they will still receive food from their parents as they gradually improve their efficiency at foraging on their own.






     Already we see the adults going back into the nest box with bits of nesting material in their bills, so we assume that they are "tidying up" in there and getting ready for a second brood. Since we just erected this nest box in early spring it's really gratifying to see these results.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

12 comments:

  1. Well done Miriam, great series of these birds.
    I wish you a nice weekend. Gr Jan W

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  2. These have become much scarcer in the UK in my lifetime..................whereas my parents' garden used to be full of them these days, now there are only a handful who only occasionally pop in............

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  3. Hello David, Now is the best time to watch the the young Peregrine Falcons as they learn from their parents to catch pray in the air. Must have been a wonderful show. I must catch up on the Falcons here and see how they are doing. Allas today it is raining so perhaps tomorrow. Great Job Miriam! As I love House Sparrows it is lovely to see this couple chose your nestbox in your garden to bring up a new generation.
    All the best from Belgium,
    Regards,
    Roos

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  4. Hello David,
    Beautiful pictures of the young sparrows in the nest box.
    Great to see this.
    Perfect photographed, my compliments.
    Best regards, Irma

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  5. Hello David, Awesome post on the sparrow. The images are wonderful! Have a happy weekend!

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  6. Those are fine pictures David. I can't imagine our local Sparrows allowing such close attention. Having suffered at the hands of humans for centuries they have a reluctance to become confiding.

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  7. Lovely photos David ;)
    I like so much to see the babies with their heads out of the nest boxes ;)

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  8. Sweet that they fed them on fledge day ... But now I think of it that is what the Eagles that we watch do as well. And after that fledge the eaglet(s) come back and forth for a while and still get food. Not too different from human beans ;)) excep they don't bring Laundry. I love the nest box!

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  9. Cool pictures, not skittish at all of these birds :)

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  10. Fabulous photos of these sweet birds.

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  11. So nice to see these little ones in the nest box.
    Great beautiful pictures and that Miriam has so captured understand IKL.
    Beautiful bright and sharp, and it is a joy to see young birds fledge :-)

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  12. Nice to see your own pictures once in a while Miriam, thanks David to publish them :)
    A great and heart warming series!!
    Keep well my friends, hugs from us both :)

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