Last Baby Fledged Today

[John T]

I guess I did the math wrong because all nine of my birds fledged between 6/15 and 6/17. I saw something weird today while looking at them with binoculars. One baby was laying through the entrance and on the porch, appearing to be dead. I've avoided doing a nest check for about a week because I knew they were close to fledging. Thinking the "dead" baby was blocking the entrance I did a nest check and while lowering the rack two babies flew out successfully, leaving one bird in the gourd. When things settled down the mama came back and convinced the baby to fly. Birds are flying like they have been unchained. Very exciting.

[Okie]

Momma is attending to things at your nest, but it is the opposite in my case. Papa has been there as these babies are fledging but momma was only there for the first one & made only one appearance. I have been wondering where she was & it occurred to me tonight that she may be with those already fledged, as they still need to be fed & taught to catch their own. Neither parents nor fledglings returned to nest tonight as I watched until after dark. There are still at least 2 in the nest that papa has been feeding.
Funny how things are different, I guess these birds are as individual as we are.

[Archer]

Hi John, was the baby that appeared to be dead, laying upside down. I have seen young and adults do this when they are sunning themselves. It look hilarious.

[jamesjohnson5551]

Really exciting!!!

[John T]

Hi John, was the baby that appeared to be dead, laying upside down. I have seen young and adults do this when they are sunning themselves. It look hilarious.

It was kind of strange but it was on it's underside, as if to be motionless. It had it's head facing left. I watched it for 10 or 15 minutes and saw no movement. He had it in 5th gear when I lowered the rack, though. I think the mama was just trying to coax it out of the gourd.

[John T]

Momma is attending to things at your nest, but it is the opposite in my case. Papa has been there as these babies are fledging but momma was only there for the first one & made only one appearance. I have been wondering where she was & it occurred to me tonight that she may be with those already fledged, as they still need to be fed & taught to catch their own. Neither parents nor fledglings returned to nest tonight as I watched until after dark. There are still at least 2 in the nest that papa has been feeding.
Funny how things are different, I guess these birds are as individual as we are.

They seem to work as a team. while this was going on papa was out flying with an earlier fledge. Now the seem to stay gone more, checking back from time to time during the day.

[Okie]

Yes the team work is amazing to watch. It occurred to me today that there is a distinct advantage to me having only one pair. I know exactly who is doing what. Good learning advantage for a newbie. I would think with a much larger colony it would be more difficult to observe each individual. So now next year when there is more than one pair I already know what to look for.... oh yeah they did that last year at that time.

[Martinear]

Congrats on your success! My first batch all fledged from my established rack too. My second rack went up about 10 days later (due to demand), so I expect a second wave of fledglings in a few days.