Can't be Blue, Day 12, May 1, 2009

In the craziness of the day with the House Wren vs. Chickadee issues, I took time to just watch the Dynamic Duo on "Bird TV". Usually they are in front of me all day. But today I hadn't been able to do that because I was focused on watching out the window for the dreaded wrens. After a bit of a problem with my wren guard which I was able to fix, the chickadee parents have been going in and out of the box regularly. I haven't seen the wren but he made his presence known when I went back to check.

Anyway, how could I be blue today...look at these cuties!! Their wing feathers are completely unfurled and beautiful!! Their tail feathers are longer and there's not much of the downy fuzz to be seen.

I didn't want to pick them up but I wanted to see a bit more of the wings.

From the look of this wing, I think this may be Thelma! Her wing feathers are more grey-blue with white at the tips.

And I think this may be LOUIE!!! The wing feathers are the beautiful cobalt blue all the way to the tips.

They've been flapping their wings like crazy all day in addition to doing their other stretches.

Tomorrow is Day 13 which is the last day I should open the box. There's always a risk that I could startle one or both and they'd want to 'jump ship' too early. I think, though, that I'll be safe opening the top of the box only for a quick photo or two...there's no way they could jump up and over that way.

But we'll be following their progress on video till they fledge and beyond...