Black Phoebe kids

Today I was able to differentiate 3 fledglings (including the one in the photo) with one adult feeding and supervising them. Their location is an excellent choice--stacks of chopped wood with trees on one side and the river with overhanging vegetation on the other. This is a great place to forage for insects to feed the fledglings, teach them to forage for flying insects, provide shade and protection from predators.

I spent some time watching the fledglings. One caught a piece of "cotton" from the cottonwood trees. It chewed (? or mouthed it?)it then, presumably because it wasn't a tasty insect, deposited it on the woodpile. They all did seem to be proficient at flying.

One of the fledglings still had some downy feathers, apparently this being the last bird hatched. They were all sallying out though I didn't see any catch anything (other than the "cotton" as noted above). The fledglings kept up giving the "Tsip" call.

The parent with them brought food. I watched one feeding that was done so quickly I was amazed; but I guess when you have 3 mouths to feed by yourself it has to be quick.

Click here for more photos of the fledglings.

SeEtta