Thursday, May 30, 2013

Rock-a-bye Baby

We've had lots of rain this spring and the flowers in the neighborhood are loving it.
It seems to be an especially good year for roses. We panted our climbing rose about twelve years ago and the most it's produced is one or two flowers a year till last year. It did nicely last summer, but this year...WOW!
Look at all these pretty blooms.
But if you look closely to the left of the flower you'll notice something besides flowers in the rose bush.
I had to wait quite a while for Mama Cardinal to leave the nest before checking on the two new members of her family. They have only just hatched in this shot.
The next day they didn't look much different.
I wish she hadn't chosen the rose bush for her nest. She built in the very same place two years ago with sad results. Cardinals get their chicks out of the nest very early before they can really fly very well and that time the dogs trampled the chicks.
This year we'll check before letting the dogs out to make sure the chicks aren't hopping around the yard but life is dangerous for baby birds.
 Even if we keep the dogs away, there is also this fellow who lives in the rock pile.

16 comments:

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

YOur clematis is such a gorgeous color!!! And your roses sure are a-blooming. Ours are doing well too. At least that is one shrub SomePups leave alone. But Mom had to have her gardening helper pull out two of her beautiful knockout rosebushes because the had that bad overgrowth of thorns disease that seems to be quite prevalent in our area:(

Hope the baby birds will be OK.

Woos - Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning

Marjie said...

I don't like the fellow from the rock pile and his ilk. I hope your baby cardinals thrive (it's amazing how un-cute they are with those giant eyes at just a day old).

rottrover said...

Oh! Those roses!! Paws crossed for the baby birds!!

Two French Bulldogs said...

Rain sure works wonders
Benny & Lily

My Dog Sam - Ruptured Disk said...

yikes...that's a snake. Maybe get rid of the snake and keep the baby birds.

gMarie said...

I'm glad you found the nest and will do your part to make sure no paws or teeth touch baby birds. Let's hope that slithery guy gets the message too. g

STELLA and RORY from Down Under said...

Oh your roses are beautiful. Good luck to the little chicks. Have a great weekend. No worries, and love, Stella and Rory

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Baby birds that have been in our yard have come to a sticky end, too. But we think Cardinals are beautiful, so you'll need to be vigilant.

Don't like that snake.

XXXOOO Daisy, bella & Roxy

Molly the Airedale said...

Mom says she can almost smell your gorgeous roses!
Good luck to the baby birdies!

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

Dexter said...

OK, I was with you until the snake. EEEEEE! I would jump out of my skin.

Mango Momma

SissySees said...

Not a fan of legless guests, but a black snake supposedly keeps the poisonous ones away.

Beautiful roses. I hope your cardinal babies grow well!

R's Rue said...

Beautiful roses and other flowers!
www.rsrue.blogspot.com

Jed and Abby in MerryLand said...

Just a quick HI! Our laptop seems to be at death's door and it's super hard for mama's shoulder when she uses the desk top, so we're way behind. Glad to see you're all well and/or healing. And super glad the tornadoes are missing you [and our granddad in OK], at least so far. We're keeping our paws crossed!

Soggibottom said...

Oh er... you can keep the creepy slithery thing on your side.... but oh those blues and red roses.. perfect.
Seems there are lots of little chicks and quacky ducks that are being watched over, not just by their mum and dads... lucky little chicks...
Luvs Freya Rose Blossom X

Lapdog Creations said...

Beautiful flowers... and even more beautiful babies!

Life with Wrigs said...

What beautiful flowers! Everything looks so lush and vibrant. I hope the cardinal chicks survive. We have flycatchers and house finches nesting in our pine trees every year, and every year ravens raid the nests. It seems harsh, but they have to eat too.

Susan and Wrigs