Another little update on the pump Chickies. I put them in this old nestbox I had so that they would not be super exposed to the elements and predators, and put that in a bucket that I mounted on the pump, so the parents would find them. This has worked out great (they are not scared around me, thankfully, and when I put them in the box I showed the parent the inside so they knew where the babies are, and miraculously this has worked), even though I am putting the box in the sunroom over night to keep them safe from the curious raccoon. I cannot change the location of the box because I don't want to risk the parents abandoning them, so this will have to do. Hopefully they are soon big enough to fledge. #birds

It was very hot today, and the pond was busy. Here's a little compilation of photos and video of today's visitors, taken by the Ceyomur CY95. By the end of the day, I also cleaned the pond. I pour in bleach, cover it for a bit and then pump it out and refill until it does not smell like bleach. That seems to be the only way to get rid of the algae. #birds

A little update on the pump chickadees. Last night, one baby was on the ground and spent the night in a box in our sunroom. This morning when I brought him out, this feisty one was on the ground too. A raccoon has pulled nesting material out every night, but seemingly not gotten any babies, so I think they may feel an urgency to leave. There is alt least one still in the pump but they seem almost ready to go. I'll keep an eye on things but I think the parents got this. #birds

I've been putting out sky cams again because there's no moon. Still waiting for that perfect night with tons of glow bugs and an amazing sky but the pathway there is also fun. Last night, a lot of things were happening. Now is also the time to start looking for meteor showers. I hope to get to an area with less light pollution for more sky stuff but it is also always nice to see how it changes in my own yard. #timelapse #photography

The babies are learning how to live life, and it is always fun to see them exploring things up close. The Blue Jays are especially curious, as you can see here. And totally adorable. #birds

TW sneks… Apparently, there's an active chickadee nest in our old pump that we just have in the yard for deco. I put a camera there because I thought it was fun. Today, this - the Chickadee is making itself big and hissing at the perceived threat - a garter snake! By the end of the day, I could still hear the babies but man, I am invested now 😳 I hope they are close to fledging and all make it out safe. Nature is not for the faint of heart! #birds

The garden has flowers and berries available for everyone but the grape jelly feeder is also still very busy. There are mostly young and feisty Orioles, some Grosbeaks, Cardinals and woodpeckers. If you put jelly out, make sure to go as natural as you can and keep the feeder clean and check on it during the day. Now as the season progresses, yellow jackets and hornets will soon start to show up, thankfully usually when the other jelly eaters start to migrate. Be safe and enjoy the show 🙂 #birds

The Blue Jay babies were back at the feeder today, look at these little pouty faces 😍 They are still a bit shy but were intrigued by the dried mealworms. This weekend may get loud in the yard! #birds

I hope you're not tired of seeing baby Cardinals 😊 The camera is kind of hard to set up in a nice angle there and there's always chances of mosquito bites and else in that spot, but I am keeping it there because of clips like these. Baby birds are always fun to see, they have an adorable attitude going on while they explore their surroundings. I love how spicy the female gets with the one oriole 😄 #birds

I've heard them up in the trees and seen them by the pond and on the ground cam but so far, the baby Blue Jays have not visited feeders. Until tonight - the first one made it. The bowl was empty but hopefully it will return tomorrow. If you cannot tell by their behavior, most baby birds are easily recognized by the soft edges of their beaks that often give them a pouty look. Depending on the species they can be bright orange, yellow or rosy / pink. #birds