B has food in nest, DC by egg

Hey Donna-Dot has seen the egg! 

You up there honey?

[First Egg Madame X and Surge in Hamilton ...she's not done yet folks!!!!]

First Egg Madame X and Surge in Hamilton ...she's not done yet folks!!!!

  

I was just checking there and she had that look...hiding something...congratulations!

And just one comment...glad we're not last this year 

[First Egg Madame X and Surge in Hamilton ...she's not done yet folks!!!!]

First Egg Madame X and Surge in Hamilton ...she's not done yet folks!!!!

  

I was just checking there and she had that look...hiding something...congratulations!

   

Tracy Simpson Reports:

With this year’s egg production underway, I promised pictures of the dynamic duo.  Here are just a few to get you started!!  Soggy Rueben Sandwich and Big Linn Extreme Yoga!

Sigh! Empty nest syndrome...stay safe babies!

I took Cornell's Courtship & Rivalry in Birds course this winter. A young male sneaking into an established pair and adding himself into the gene pool is quite common in smaller birds. Before so many pefas were banded, who knows how often this might have happened.

I've been reading a book called The Nesting Season (subtitle: Cuckoos, Cuckolds, and the Invention of Monogamy) by Bernd Heinrich that discusses this and many other facets of bird reproductive habits.  He's an academic, but I find the writing accessible to the lay-armchair-naturalist.

Thanks...adding it to the list...

A beautiful egg!

isn't this something to shout about?

If only you could have heard me!  Or did you? 

Generally speaking, it's really impossible to tell without watching any bird as closely as we can watch Beauty.

Did you see what I've got? 

Well deserved nap 

Hallelujah!!!!

Beauty's pacing too  

P.S.- that foot looks wonderful!

Boyfriend's here-don't know which one yet...

And this shows you how difficult a positive ID can be even WITH bands!

         

But the band is there...