I think there are a lot of fledglings out this time of year, floppily learning when to flee from nosy humans with cameras. This phoebe, happily, didn't seem to fear me:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4TPI_8X5au6bq4N2IpV0lVIFEbslXzUKaB6nNnIhVgEN-PU0nsbTLkcxjBKeYIt4mw2kCF5HHoaF89sytwuNbIiNrjtsSpL-ix0Algzg-lJHq4tOZnsPBnqFPNHc4iPxmQfRgVN5nTRU/s320/phoebe3.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZkfPXErcStZ-Yz_Cpy4st9Dc4NeHngPeEG-T12O9vTU1XCOxFD7LMPowKwS4ecPICuHHxEQQMhB9Pbrbj12AVPcXBRYdnT-YyLVjdKpH6ZkTAlaMVyn5LaZDFIyXltJCoi1x8RQ1JXs6/s320/phoebe2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCUIk0XVtETHMe-s7YEUy42VvIk0FDTiVbQI-CpbwEqdJMPmm0oiCjFqJ2dhSyJUQTM3pAEPlX8B4Ij_xHhlFiZegqBp6Ov3xkGxnyFh5QWJJEPFE_a8YMEgXa4_ANEn8tB4IaXmyb801/s320/phoebe1.jpg)
Parents of fledglings are getting distracted too. I was walking in the garden when I heard a persistent cheeping coming from somewhere nearby. Turns out it was this little towhee with its mouth stuffed full of bug.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oqLRjpUZwZ2kO3XAkWDFkWL4sW5XRiwfZAv1nncGRQdKL92V0hp_U6GoC63pwjuH7rFxirm4mC2oIOpRmUcRP5tAoNYMuOq9AEfS0LYQmkvFIRyyc_s_ZWK31_81BExlttmKZ93v7GVf/s320/towheebug2.gif)
Was it bribing a fledgling to get off of Facebook and get some fresh air, out of the nest? I couldn't locate any other birds around, but given how hidden this one was, I wouldn't be surprised if I missed part of this story. Anyway it kept calling from this one spot, bug in beak, for several minutes. "Mmph! Mm mmmph!"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWA_RFBDtrQO15kGK2Vp8NiZTk3xlC2MC1Jfxcrtk3bt11LgYypIlHRixBzz3pwvY2YGClmKfEgWVy6x3JXqm5SKiTowg4N9-VSJDQwYX9ta3Y0GXHYcMeBb2IPH9pVBQCiFezCv2XYQW/s320/towheebug.gif)
Here's another towhee chirping with glee as it triumphantly blocks me from getting a shot that isn't backlit:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jl6nlPkq-HZ6JzvcGC5yjeGTjqm_-zWF_xD2fH93Irm3iKL6Pnm2l47JnI0PZKPxMCyW7wt5OC-wITTDdwwvbtS_kTkclO14B1YwZzg6H8ISrr62PyP8KW-2FvuUkKJR_lc1mqVMGH52/s320/towhee-silhouette.jpg)
I was also able to locate this chickadee from its calls. Sometimes you just hear them going nuts in the trees. This was either a confused baby that hadn't learned that low hanging tree branches are unsafe...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzx-9e8ICnN2G9ROOmVLFVxr85GkmnmPiLOm5IQEGK0BuLIwECEoFl-Crdc-ejAeaWfFcl1RPKPJm0KOGEY9H_OQuGqOhsV95JkyxbLtg3mNaBayST5nwN83-sc2hK7XUYCKU_LpP8uc_V/s320/chickadee2.gif)
Or a parent bird trying to decoy me away from its precious babies. It worked, because I sure couldn't find the nest...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSE9ZdXh_CKptcVmFgiphQ-bWCTHblIE29r_FIhzbQxbbDytoqPUVGgNmDvJaZAq92lHR_Y9e7tTC93Lz-GsDGtj98-bUEE7NJGf0mNUS4FawwgS0y1ONPJIAM-U4ox1HkfHU7H0dCAyX/s320/chickadee1.gif)
Finally, here is a slightly better picture of a goldfinch than the last one I took.
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ReplyDeletethat towhee is hilarious :D
ReplyDeleteTowhees: nature's comedians.
ReplyDelete