Parental stress

It's a stressful morning for the Say's phoebe family. I heard the parents' alarm call early this morning, and that of the curve bill thrasher too. On investigation I saw the roadrunner out looking for breakfast, but that was all. It's a lonely life, that of a roadrunner: everybody clears out when you are around, or dive bombs you, and screams at you to boot.

When taking out the garbage, I found one of the young phoebes on the ground and thought it might have fallen out of the nest, but on approach it fluttered away. It was nice that my morning chores kept me close enough to ward off any possible threats, but not so close as to interfere with the flying lesson. But what a scene! Here's one chick trying to fly, not doing all that well, and one chick still in the nest, yelling its head off. Such worries!