Spring is here...

flowering almond

Spring is here and all of the sudden flowers are everywhere.  Breeding season for gouldians is ending, but societies, cordon blues, shaft tails, purple grenadiers, star finches, owls, parrot finches, and the grasskeets are still on going.  I'm always glad of new babies.

pied dilute star finch baby, just fledged

creamino shaft tail, and blue faced parrot finch

lutino bourke male

bowel of creamino shaft tails

lutino and white faced pink bourke males

white fronted blue scarlet chested grasskeet male

white java baby

red factor canary baby

blue scarlet pair and red fronted yellow turquoisine

pair of red fronted turquoisines

pair of blue scarlets

cherry blossoms

blue lilac

tulips

dove nest in a holly tree

New baby pictures

The normal scarlets are back in the nest.  Red and Scarlet has 5 fertile eggs.  Coral and Blush also have at least 5 eggs, not sure how many are fertile since Blush is sitting very tight.

Still having new species of finches raising babies - split to fawn owl male with normal hen pair has 5 fertile eggs, purple grenadier have laid eggs (fingers definitely crossed), a pair of red faced stars hatched 2 babies, various societies are raising babies, and the white javas have laid eggs again.  The sea green parrot finch pair have been very prolific.  They've already fledged 7 babies from 2 clutches already.  The red faced parrot finch pair have finally finished molting - seems to be interested in the nests now.  The forbes pair isn't having great luck - they chose a nest right next to the stars and are being chased away often.  I will let them try again since the stars are busy feeding their babies, but may have to give them their own flight cage to breed in.

baby gouldian - he's an only child due to having a first time father

newly fledged sea green RH parrot finches

fawn society finch babies

pied dilute fawn society finches

chestnut pearl society finch

 

Feels like spring,,,

After a historic snow/ice storm, the weather is finally feeling like spring.  Hopefully the birds are feeling frisky as well...

Sweet Pea loves snow

snow flakes on the fence

wild birds were pecking at the stray seeds

Lucky exploring the snow

Mao would rather stay inside and be warm

shaft tails: creaminos flanking my "cream" baby

shaft tails: creamino, fawn, and cream

shaft tails: creamino, fawn, cream

red factor canary baby - napping in my hand

Lucky enjoying a nap

pearl society babies

dilute fawn pearl baby

 

Babies and mutations...

Despite the disappointing gouldian season, there are still quite a few new babies in the aviary.  All the society babies are big enough to close band.  Can't wait until they all fledge.  The owl babies are no more, unfortunately.  Both died with full crops and without any obvious trauma, so not sure what happened.  Canaries lost their fledgling, also for unclear reasons, but are now raising a new baby.  The white javas took over the gouldian style nest box in their flight and are raising a family.  Sea green red faced parrot finches have weaned their brood of 3 and are sitting on 4 fertile eggs.  I don't think my new turquoisine hen likes my male so far.  Hopefully they'll bond as time passes.

BH PB SFYB male gouldian

hoping this new lovely big boy will win the heart of my eager BH WB BB gouldian hen who had had 3 clutches of infertile eggs with 2 different previous mates now

he's a nice big boy

well fed white java babies

pearl society babies (chestnut pearl, I think)

fawn society babies, 3 are dilutes with clear wing

better view of the all 4 babies

fawn babies

chocolate self babies - if male will be split to creamino

more fawn babies - hoping for some red browns

forbes parrot finch baby with his foster parents - he fledged today, but decided to snuggle with his parents back in the nest

new red factor canary baby

napping after a big meal

turquoisine male still trying to gain the favor of his new mate

weaned sea green baby - starting to molt into adult colors

 

New babies, fledglings, and some new turqs...

red headed yellow gouldian pair - male is lilac breast and hen is purple breast

red headed parrot finch on left, sea green RH parrot finch

newly fledged baby sea green RH parrot finches

I am happy to report I got a pair of red fronted yellow opaline turquoisines - still young, but hoping they will eventually breed for me.  All the grasskeets are molting or resting or just happily maturing.  Perhaps breeding season will restart in the spring, but they may decide to rest until fall again.

The gouldians and shaft tails have started to lay new clutches - fingers crossed better fertility this round.  Society babies have hatched, and parrot finches have fledged - very comforting to have some babies around.

pearl society babies

pied fawn society hen guarding her brood

notice she's fostering 2 owl finch babies for me - the 2 on the bottom

dilute fawn society with babies

babies from dilute fawn society pair - the mother has red eyes

Here is the male with the hen hiding behind him.

Here's the hen in the foreground - unfortunately a bit washed out by the flash.  Scarlet male in the back.

OMG, is the turq hen having a stroke?  Nope, just enjoying the heat lamp, LOL.