It’s the beginning of May and it’s time for baby birds. They don’t stay babies very long — just a few days. Really, between birth and adulthood, it’s a couple of weeks. Birds develop fast, Their lives don’t allow for a prolonged adolescence.

The catbird appears to be an adult. The goldfinch are at various stages of adolescence. Two are quite young, two are more mature but don’t have the full adult markings. On two others, you can still see the baby pinfeathers. The cardinal isn’t yet wearing his adult colors. He will be a much darker, brighter red soon. And of course, the bluebirds are babies, just out of the nest.

More will be coming. If we didn’t have such an invasion of brown-headed cowbirds, we’d be seeing many more goldfinches. Often this time of year, we have dozens of little tiny goldfinches.

Categories: #Birds, #gallery, #Photography, bluebirds, Cardinal, Goldfinch

Tags: #gallery, #Goldfinch, #Photography, birds, Bluebird, Marilyn Armstrong