Baby Sitting

 It was a nice weekend at home in the backyard.  We felt like we were baby sitting so many bird kids.  I didn't take nearly as many photos as I could have, or should have, for this blog but here is a bit of what was going on...

Our resident male northern cardinal who we call "papa" was around a lot with his two kids.  Here he is feeding one of them.

A male oriole brought his three young around quite often, both Saturday and Sunday.

This young downy woodpecker was mostly on his own.  He sampled the nyjer seed and realized it wasn't for him after a few nibbles.

We had a ridiculous number of squawky blue jay young here with their parents.  But I never got a photo that I really liked of them.  Hairy woodpecker with young was here as well.  A few starling families as well.  Starlings aren't high on a lot of peoples' lists but hey, it's not their fault for being "non-native" and a threat to native cavity nesters.  We love the loud antics of the young and any starling in the bird bath is fun to watch because they REALLY get into it.  I always think of this little guy every spring when the young starlings are around.  He was a sweet character, just joining me in the shed, hiding out from the heavy rain.

What's it like where you are?  Are you "baby sitting" any young birds?