Fledglings’ first flight
Sometimes the photos come to you.
Be prepared. I have my Sony Alpha 850 with the Sigma 170-500mm on the dining room table to shoot the birds that come to my feeder.
It had been a slow week at the feeder
On Wednesday morning, a fledgling robin suddenly lands on my back deck, and not at all close to the feeder (which needed to be refilled anyway)
The fledgling robin didn’t appear to be that sure of itself, normally birds check out the feeder, fly away, come back, grab a meal, then fly away again. This fledge stayed put for at least 10 minutes….
….anxiously hopping up on one leg.
Then a minute or so later, the fledge turns and opens its mouth.
Suddenly, and just out of focus range, one of the parents arrives with a worm for the fledge. The parent is gone again in an instant.
The fledgling robin still stays where it landed now about a dozen minutes earlier, probably still a bit unsure of itself.
Finally, safety and courage in numbers. A sibling lands right beside the fledge. So it’s two robins trying their first flights.
A few moments later, the fledged kids take flight into the cedar tree behind them as one of the resident stellar jays comes down to claim its territory and grab some seeds from the feeder.
