A thin, high pitched, incessant cheeping drew my attention to the fledgling cardinal. It flew down from a tree above the feeder, landing on the deck rail near where its dad was gathering sunflower seeds, and waited expectantly, if not patiently.
It paid off. The young ones have been running their parents ragged lately with their voracious appetites and pleading cries.
Carolina wrens were busy, too, searching high...
and low...
...for food for the nestlings in the basket.
They fledged this evening, just before dusk. One of them was perched on the woodpile as we walked by, and when we went inside, 3 others popped into view. They took short practice flights around the porch, cheered on by their watching parents.
Tomorrow they'll be off in the wild blue, but we hope they remember home and come around to visit. We'll leave the light on.
Linking with Wild Bird Wednesday
