Finches

Birds At The Bunya Mountains

On our recent trip to the Bunya Mountains (native rainforest in Queensland) we were delighted to find the famous bower of the Satin Bowerbirds.  the male (blue satin coloured bird below) had adorned the nest with blue objects that match his sweetheart's eyes.  He was attempting to woo her and impress her with his bower building abilities.

male satin bowerbird wooing female bowerbird

 

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Purple Finches Train Novelist Resa Nelson - Part 2

Resa NelsonNovelsit Resa Nelson continues her story about how the finches in her garden trained her.

 The finches have been nesting on my balcony for years, and it's common to get two nests (at different times) in the same flower basket each spring.  I'm always fascinated by the behavior of each family because they're so different. 
 

It took the parents a while to train me when to go out and buy a basket (they let me know when they're ready to build a nest), as well as how I've communicated with a mother that I only want to water the plant and not harm the nest or eggs.  

purple finch mother feeding babies 

She was at first upset until I showed her exactly what I was doing, and then it was like watching a light bulb go off over her head and all I had to do from that point on was show the water bottle to her and she would fly off to let me water and stay calm instead of getting upset.

 

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Novelist Resa Nelson's Baby Purple Finches - Part 1

I love your website!  I've been a huge fan of birds all my life and have friends who are bird rehabilitators.  Your stories about birds are charming.  My readers know how much I love birds, and I'm sure they'd love to learn about your site!  I have a Red-Tailed Hawk that I've befriended (by chasing away crows that were mobbing it).  But what my readers know best are my stories of how Purple Finches nest on my balcony every year, just a foot from my window.  In fact, I plan to post a video on YouTube of great footage I got of the babies exercising their flight muscles and nearly flying out of the nest before they were ready and will send you the details shortly.

--  Resa Nelson, Author,
'Our Lady Of The Absolute' - out now!

http://resanelson.com/september-28-special-offer/ 

 

Each year Purple Finches nest one foot from  my window.

In each family, one baby takes a leadership role and does something unique.  

baby finches

 

In this family, the baby leader perches on the edge of the nest.

Then...  

 baby finches 

the perching baby exercises its flight muscles by flapping its wings.

It's two siblings watch... 

 baby finches

This is something I've never seen a baby Purple Finch do

before.  It's stretching it's legs.  

 baby finches

Notice the tufts of baby fuzz on the birds' heads.  Here

it's easier to see the markings and colouring of the baby's breast.

 

 baby purple finches

The dominant baby has returned to the nest.

One of its siblings decides to try its wings.

 baby purple finches

...And the were a little more startling than expected. 

Tomorrow I'll post the video so you can see what happens next!

 


Click here for Part 2

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