Aww! It’s so cool than the mama cardinal did that! If you get a photo on your phone tomorrow, please share!!

Wow. How cool is that?!

Tenn, I'm excited to get pics so definitely will post them.

Sweet!

Fingers crossed. Would love to see a picture. It might have been one of these once in a lifetime things to witness to keep in your mind though. I had some of these, in some ways makes it more special.

Iris, i saw them twice! The first time I was unsure that the baby was a finch because it flew off. The second time DH and I watched them several minutes. There has been a lot of babies being brought to the feeders so I'm wondering if then was some confusion and the cardinal thinks the baby finch is hers and has become the adoptive mom. Cant wait to watch for them tomorrow!

Check to see if it's a baby cowbird. Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests then let the other mother raise them. It seems awful to me, esp when you see some poor unwitting foster mother bird, who's half the size of the baby cowbird, trying to get enough food to fill it up. Nature is quirky.

baby cowbirds and foster parent birds

Maybe someone can tell me why I have a male cardinal who for months has been pecking on my large greenhouse window in my back bedroom. Sometimes he flies against it and sometimes pecks and looks in. I have put a cat face there but it doesn't deter him. He obviously doesn't hurt himself because he's been doing it for months now.

Lily, he's protecting his territory against the intruder (his reflection of himself). They don't call them "bird brains" for nothing!

I love photos of cardinals.....BRING IT ON! :0)

I was gone all day today so i didnt see the birds. Hopefully tomorrow I'll see the same thing going on and get some pics.

Olychick, it definitely was a baby finch and not a cowbird. Although I do occasionally see cowbirds, I've never seen a fledgling.

Brushworks, yesterday when I was researching the subject I read that it is very common for duck, geese and other birds that eat on their own right from birth, to hook up with another species. It doesn't take any extra effort for the mother to allow a tag-a-long.

Hope to see some pictures!

me too!

So sweet!

Moonie,

And the goslings were not bringing up the rear, they were first in line, right behind mama duck.

Love it, Motherhood !

Olychick: They don't call them "bird brains" for nothing!

MODOs seem very dim witted.

But yesterday I read that some birds (crows and magpies) are being used to clean up litter. The tourist area mentioned didn't have much litter, but the birds were trained to pick up, say, cigarette butts, drop them into a container and fetch their reward (food treat).

Some number of years ago there was a story about a young girl who had a special relationship with a crow. The crow would bring her trinkets and I forgot exactly how she reciprocated. Maybe the crow got the trinkets from its stash -- they are known for pirating certain things like spoons.

Is this it Petalique? I loved that story. Warning: if crows freak you out, don't view this.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/04/girl-gets-gifts-from-birds_n_6793132.html

Mine would be the smile on the face of my 90 year friend who I drove 4 hours each way to her cousin's 70th wedding anniversary.

Skibby, thank you so much for finding and linking the account of the young girl's relationship with her crows. It was wonderful to read it again and watch the videos. I love crows, birds and animals. Sounds as though you do as well. You've probably seen those (?) Nature programs that include the bower birds -- making the bower attractive for a prospective mate -- gathering little trinkets to display; using a piece of shredded snake skin as a dust cloth ....

I also love watching the stories of unusual intraspecies friendships.

Some good sties in this thread. Any photos yet, Moonie?

In our yard, I've been watching a female ruby throated hummingbird. She's discovered a perfect perch -- one of those painted steel tiki torch holders that has a few spirals at the top to support the small metal canister of duet with a wick. The holder is empty and weathered to a dusky mat charcoal color. Its bottom 8" is planted into the soil and the wire loop spiral top rests amid perennials and wildflowers such as tall phlox, gloriosa daisies, agastiche and evening primrose. She sallies forth to sip flower nectar or to play tag with a male ruby throat -- even in the rain.