When I was growing up, my grandfather would carry me on his shoulders to let me peek into the bird nests he had discovered. It was always such a thrill to see the delicate eggs in those nests tucked deep between the tree branches. As the summer progressed, the eggs would hatch and it would become possible to locate the nests by sound. Though tiny, the chicks would call loudly for food, their beaks opening incredibly wide.
Although now I generally search the garden for insects and spiders, today I was told that I might find one or more bird nests if I looked carefully. One bird had been acting suspiciously, darting out of a thick bush and running along the ground whenever my mother approached. Arming myself with my camera, I slowly studied the bush.
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| Can you see what is hidden near the bottom left corner of this picture? |
Suddenly, from between the green branches, I got a glimpse of a nest with four eggs cradled inside. Luckily, the bird was nowhere in sight and I was able to take a closer look without causing a disturbance.
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| A bird nest with four speckled eggs. |
The adventure then continued at the rose bush. Once again, I peered at the bush from various angles before finding the one that revealed another small nest...
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| This nest is not quite as well hidden. |
... and two more eggs!
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| There were only two eggs in this nest. Maybe there will be another egg tomorrow? |
Hi Kim,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your question. I found out later that these were song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) nests. You can see more about what happened to these nests and a video of one of the parents in this later post: http://naturalcurrentevents.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-tale-of-two-nests.html.
There are several other species of sparrows in Maine, however, and they may have similar looking nests and eggs. You can find some more information, including comparisons to similar species, here: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/song_sparrow/id.
Happy bird watching!
Cheers, Emily