[mou] Brown Thrasher nursery

[Thomas Maiello]

The Brown Thrashers in my yard have a "baby" joining them at my  
feeders.  It doesn't have a clue what to do but it is hanging out  
just learning and watching - anthropomorphic bias noted.  The adults  
have been leaning heavily on my suet feeders as of late.  For a while  
it was just one at a time and lately they have both been present and  
wisking away a wad of waxy wonder food apparently for the youngster.   
Only one fledgling has shown up with its short tail and otherwise  
similar markings.  I was in awe that the tail may be the last thing  
to grow out as a youngster might find it difficult to hang out for  
long trying to stuff a fully developed tail into the confines of the  
nest  - and the adults have such long and beautiful tails which they  
apparently use for balance and exacting flight control - at least in  
their out-my-window suet feeder flight path.  The youngsters just  
buzz in a relatively straight line to a branch and bray for food.   
Must be a bit of a respite for the adults to have the kid come up to  
the trough instead of having to cash and carry the tidbits of greasy  
food to the nest.

The orioles are increasing their rounds to the jelly but seem to  
ignore the meal worms - leaving them for the assertive robins and  
catbirds.  And while the sight is warm and fuzzy, the number of baby  
house finches compared to the numbers of other young is a bit sad.   
The goldfinches continue to gather cotton for their nest building -  
practically continuously for some 6 weeks now - must be one hell of a  
nest by now!

Other birdy family stories to come as the urge takes me.

Thomas Maiello
Spring Lake Park