Spreadin' Their Wings

It's an annual event at the Sleepy Turtle, a pair of peach birds feather the same nest next to our chimney, lay a few eggs, and then begin the daily trek to find enough food to feed everyone. If everything works out ok, the eggs hatch and soon we see the beaks of starving babies and hear the cry of the adults as they gather food for the chicks, they grow quickly and soon the babies are so big that they barely fit in the nest. By this time both parents are flying many trips each day to get food.

Then it happens, the day comes that it is time for the babies to spread their wings. You can tell by the sound the adults make that it is time. Today was the day, 3 baby birds were officially booted from their comfy nest. It is an all day ritual, first they boot them from the nest, usually to the windowsill. Then to the deck, the babies do everything they possibly can to avoid the inevitable, they hunker down in a corner together, try to fly back up to the windowsill, walk around and try to nap, they call to the parents because they are hungry, but the parents sit just far enough away to coax and prode and scold them into flying.

A stormy day for flying...

Cleared for take-off

The brave one

The solo pilot, with Sizzle in the background

And as the sun was setting...

The babies launched into a wobbly formation and flew off (finally) with their parents. What a beautiful thing to witness.