My contribution to the A Photo a Week Challenge is two photos this week. The prompt is Babies which got me thinking about bird species with young.
That made me think of two very different species that nest in tree cavities and will also use nest boxes.
This is a Common Merganser, a larger species of duck that needs a large tree cavity or nestbox. As soon as the eggs hatch the female carries the young to the water in her bill.
These are Eurasian Blue Tits. There are two adults feeding recently hatched young in a nestbox. Unlike the Common Merganser these young are born naked. It will be approximately 21 days before they have grown flight feathers and can leave the nestbox.
That second photo is astounding. Just beautiful
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Thank you. It’s one of a long sequence that starts with the adults nest building and ends with the last youngster leaving the nestbox.
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Oh wow- how wonderful
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Amazing photos. Thanks! (And never worry about posting more than one photo for the challenge, despite the name…)
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Thanks Nancy. I wasn’t worried about posting two shots as it was a bit of a theme.
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Aww so cute to see the trail of mama duckie and ducklings
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The two riding on her back always makes me wonder if they all took turns going for a ride.
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Haha…am sure they do. 😃
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Love the first photo with mama and all her ducklings.
Teresa
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Thanks Teresa. The photo was taken in mid August so it was a late brood.
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