It isn't easy being a mom (the tale of a yellow-headed blackbird)

When I take the auto tour routes on the various refuges that I’ve visited, I’ve found that using the car as a blind is one of the easiest ways of getting a peek into the lives of the creatures around me.  Such was the case yesterday.  I had been hearing the piping of many Soras (a type of rail) as I drove along the marsh.  Rails can be very elusive for a person to see, let alone photograph.  So, I pulled the car over, shut off the engine, and rolled down the windows.  I was prepared to wait a while and see if a sora came to the edge of the marsh.  As I waited, a different story unfolded before me.
There was such a raucous cacophony going on across from my window that I searched the reeds and found this female yellow-headed blackbird peeking out.
And right behind her, a youngster screaming bloody murder!  Isn’t it amazing how much bigger the baby looks than it’s mother?  It doesn’t look like it’s starving to me!  So, off she went to shop for some food.  :)  (the marsh is a veritable grocery store of insects)
Soon she was back with a bite for the screamer, but what’s this above her in the corner?
Another youngster appeared and sounded just as insistent as the first one!  What’s a mother to do?
She made numerous trips back and forth while the youngsters impatiently waited.  What a racket ensued whenever she got close!
At one point, I thought she was pursuing an insect down one of the reeds, but it turned out…
she was just looking for the perfect spot to take a little refreshing bath!  A lady deserves a nice soak after a morning of taking care of the kids.  :)  (I guess dad was off playing golf on a Sunday morning :))

With all that noise, no soras came poking out of the marsh, so I moved on down the road a ways.  It almost always pays off when I stop and take the time to look and listen.

Today was another drizzly, overcast day, so I hung around at home and did the laundry.  With temps only reaching the 50’s today, my hummingbird feeder has been seeing some action.  It’s giving those little birds a little boost for their high metabolisms.  Skies are supposed to clear tomorrow, so I think I’ll go investigate the town of Burn, Oregon.

Thanks for stopping by….talk to you later,  Judy