Rewilding My Lot

Unfortunately, this post does not have a happy ending.

Since the House Finch eggs hatched on June 24-28, 2025 I was periodically observing them with a stick mirror.

On July 3 I caught my first glimpse of a baby chick from the ground without the mirror. There was one little beak visible at the front edge of the nest (first picture in this post).

Later that day I climbed up to take a photograph. These chicks would be 5-9 days old. They looked pretty helpless and still blind. I saw only three beaks, and there were five eggs, so perhaps there were others buried in the jumble of bodies.

In the couple of days following that, I was able to witness two feedings. One was by the female and the second was by both parents at the same time. From the ground I was able to see four beaks and the chicks were making plenty of noise.

I was planning to next take a photograph on July 6, but on a whim I climbed up on the afternoon of July 5. It was getting dark so the photo isn’t great, but with my eyes I could see at least four heads with eyes open. I don’t know if there was a fifth chick in the nest.

As planned I climbed up the morning of July 6 only to find everyone gone. This is a similar scenario to when a whole clutch of Barn Swallow eggs (in the same nest as this House Finch family) were taken in April.

Clearly some predator visited the nest and took the babies. But like last time, I don’t know if the attacker climbed or flew up there. Apparently this is not a good site for a bird nest!

This is how nature works, of course, but I can’t help feeling disappointed that I couldn’t watch a family of chicks grow and fledge in my own porch.