Words Behind the Photos

an accidental photo

Several days after I took the photograph of the four eggs, I heard a terrible squawking – loud, relentless – just outside the window. I could only see two adult mockingbirds, presumably the parents, flitting quickly from fence to bush to wire; something extraordinary had occurred but I didn’t want to interfere with the birds’ ability to defend their nest by becoming a presence in the yard. I contained my curiosity until the next morning when I went out to investigate. There were two naked chicks, purplish-red and fluffless. There was no sign of the other two eggs or hatchlings. 


So it was for eight more days, two growing chicks on the nest...until two days ago. 

The same flitting, squawking behavior began again outside my window during the hottest part of the day. I could see through the window that a pile of gray fluff (the chicks had developed a small downy layer in recent days) was on the ground. I waited a small while. Then I went out to see that one of the nestlings was on the ground, panting heavily. Although in a shadow of the bush, the ground was hot with the ninety plus temperature. Some quick research told me that the downy, not-yet-ready-to-fledge chick would likely not make it; commonsense told me that the scorching heat would surely do him in. With gloved hands, as the protective and aggressive mockingbird parent’s watchful eye and incessant dash toward my head kept me alert, I quickly picked up the squeaking chick and laid him back in the nest. 

on the ground in sweltering heat,  head burrowed into leaf litter

My relief was overwhelming the next morning when I saw two breathing, intact chicks still on the nest. Hearing their cries in stereo has warmed my heart over and over again.

safely on the nest, day 12 or older

All blog photographs taken by Jennifer J. Wilhoit unless otherwise noted.