The young ones!

Spring is courting time on the farm the birds are back from Southern States and beyond, busy making their nest. They will carry any loose yard waste, sometimes I throw pieces of bright coloured yarn out, and in time will find it back in their nests. Robins,Cardinals, Hummingbirds, Orioles, Bluebirds, Barn Swallows and of course your garden variety of birds like Sparrows, Starlings and Red winged Blackbirds have made their home in the windbreak, barn, drive shed or even right under our windows. We will take the bb-gun out for the more disturbing birds, like crows and blackbirds, just one nest of their kind will upset the whole nesting population and Ab. Just the sight of the gun will make the crows and kind take flight, all the while screeching insults! The Trumpet Vine on the old drive shed becomes this mega housing complex for sparrows and with all families living in close quarters loud domestic disturbances are the norm and whole swarms will swoop out and bring the dispute out on the yard......birds!!!!!!!!
When the nest are in place and the eggs have hatched the moms and dads are cleaning house and deposit their baby poop with mouthfuls on the roof of the house or very neatly on the edge of the pool, they will keep the water clean because they frequently swoop down to take a drink from the pool, sometimes we do have floaters, the ones that never learned to swoop and should have stayed by the kiddie pool( dog water dish)! Peace and quiet returns when all the little ones have earned their wings. Mom will feed them for a couple of days but then they are on their own.......and the courting starts all over again! The birds are used to us being around and will stay on their nest but that means too that they are not scared to munch in my garden! I have to leave the romaine lettuce to save my green beans! This flock of juvenile sparrows is up to no good, they made French lace out of my delicious greens! Do tell......my greens have lice?
2 weeks ago, 3 young barn swallows took their first flight and parked right in front of my kitchen window. They preened and polished their feathers,mom and dad still catered to them, 3 big hungry mouths to feed,they were insatiable and vocal at each flyby.Now they are in full flight and quite the sight, all together they can dive-bomb this "innocent' kitty back to the barn!