Summer is the season when newly fledged birds follow their parents through their territory, loudly begging for attention and food. Anyone who is attuned to nature's cycles is familiar with this annual and sometimes annoying behavior.
Over the past week, young chickadees, house wrens, house finches and a lone Cooper's hawk have exhibited this noisy begging on our Littleton farm, no doubt stressing their parents and (to a limited degree) myself as well. Kudos to the young spotted towhee (the first to be born on our farm; see Towhee Romance) who seems to be perfectly capable of finding his/her own food.
In some ways, it is reassuring to know that our avian neighbors put up with demanding children just as we humans do; on the other hand, their duties are over within a few months!
Over the past week, young chickadees, house wrens, house finches and a lone Cooper's hawk have exhibited this noisy begging on our Littleton farm, no doubt stressing their parents and (to a limited degree) myself as well. Kudos to the young spotted towhee (the first to be born on our farm; see Towhee Romance) who seems to be perfectly capable of finding his/her own food.
In some ways, it is reassuring to know that our avian neighbors put up with demanding children just as we humans do; on the other hand, their duties are over within a few months!
