Weekend Waterview: Are You My Mother?

Happy Weekend! We had an interesting bird experience recently.

My husband came inside one evening and said, “you’ve got to come see this, this bird is stalking me. . .”

This fledgling was hopping around my hubby and chirping loudly as a baby bird would do in the nest, begging for food from his mother.

We immediately thought that it must be hungry.

Living on the lake, we have several “blooms” of mayflies in the summer.

If you aren’t familiar with mayflies, they hatch from fresh water (but never in May ;) and are messy but harmless, clinging to trees, the siding of the house, dock ropes, boat, etc. The live only a few hours to a few days. . .long enough to mate and become part of the food chain.

My hubby found mayflies clinging to the dock which the bird happily gobbled up. . .

He would fly up and perch on top of my hubby’s shoulder. . .

The bird following my hubby around reminded me of the children’s book, “Are You My Mother?”  by P.D. Eastman, edited by Dr. Suess.

Do you remember that book about a baby bird in search of his mother?

After a little online searching we identified it as a Brown-headed Cowbird. Juvenile cowbirds look similar to adult female cowbirds, but are more heavily streaked with lighter bellies and light edging on their wing feathers.

According to AllAboutBirds:

The Brown-headed Cowbird is North America’s most common “brood parasite.” A female cowbird makes no nest of her own, but instead lays her eggs in the nests of other bird species, who then raise the young cowbirds. Cowbird eggs hatch faster than other species eggs, giving cowbird nestlings a head start in getting food from the parents. Young cowbirds also develop at a faster pace than their nest mates.

No wonder this juvenile cowbird doesn’t know who his mother is. . . ;)

We saw him one evening and then again the following morning. He flew over to light on my camera and say goodbye before flying the coop!

Lola and Sophie are stopping by to say “Happy Weekend”.🐾🐾

Thank you for all your welcome wishes and sweet messages for Sophie on Friday.

There were several requests to see them together, so I’m obliging. . . more to come. ;)

Lola says this chair isn’t big enough for the both of them. . .

Sophie says posing for photos is tiring work.

Happy Sunday ♥

Thank you for your visit. 🐾🐾