Fledging Day

At least two of the babies are fledging today.  I don't know what has happened to the third baby.  I was going to look at the nest this morning, and lo and behold!  There was a baby on to of the nest bush.  It wasn't until later I saw the second one inside the bush but away from  the nest.

Dad found a worm and came to the nest bush to feed Baby #2 still hidden from my camera.  

The Baby #1 sat there for a long time, while mom and dad flew around.  I guess they were encouraging it to take the flight.  When it finally did, I was not prepared for that.  My camera had just gone into shut down mode!

Baby #1 flew over the fence and into  the crepe myrtle.  Immediately a blue jay showed up!  Wow!

Mom and dad went into battle mode!  They drove that jay off with a flurry of wings and actual body hits.  I never saw where the baby had flown to.

I also saw mom fly to to the wooden fence where she could see Baby #2 still in the nest bush and see Baby #1 in the tree.

The jay is now aware the babies are there.  He has flown into the patio where Baby #2 is still sitting in the nest bush.  Momma drove him away this time.

I guess the Blue Jays kill the new cardinal babies.  Classic battle of red and blue.  Mom is in the nest bush now feeding Baby #2 again.  I am sure it is harder now that the fledglings have split up into different trees.  I wonder if they will come back to the nest tonight?

I wondered about that third baby.  Remember he was not as responsive as the rest when I would look at  the nest?  I expected to see a dead thing in the nest, but when I held the camera up to snap the photo, it showed an empty nest!  I hope that means they all were able to make it!  If so, I imagine the one still in bush is that third last baby.  And the fact the parents are still feeding it is a good thing.

I am glad the babies are out of the nest.  They took the next step in life, and it was a huge one.

Maybe next year I will see one of the babies here raising a nest full of grandchildren!