Five images of the first of three fledglings of an Eastern Kingbird trio that a few of us had been watching for a week or so. During that time, the young had grown considerably. Where initially, it was difficult to see if there were two or three young, they now almost crowd each other off the small nest. Yesterday, I observed one of the young venturing a very short distance off the nest on to a small branch which supported the nest. I suspected that the young would soon leave the nest.

This morning, the first young one took the plunge and flapped its way to a branch slightly higher than the nest and about three feet from it. One of the two remaining in the nest also ventured off the nest on to the same small branch that the first launched itself from. It however returned to the nest. Perhaps by now, all three will have tested their wings.

Mom and Dad had been busy throughout collecting bugs, grubs, spiders, grasshoppers, caterpillars etc which they alternately fed to the young. In this present series of shots, Mom/Dad brought dessert to the first fledgling, possibly as a reward for its achievement. However, dessert was not well received by the ungrateful little rascal.

In the above (top) photo, junior very vocally demands its due reward for its achievement. Actually, Mom and Dad had been favouring it over the other two that remained in the nest, perhaps to entice them to come out as well.


Mom/Dad bring junior a real plum, a raspberry to top off all the bugs it had already consumed. Perhaps they thought that junior deserved a treat, or that in addition to all the protein it had consumed, it could now also use some energy food.


It appeared that junior was not used to eating big raspberries. It almost choked in it.


Junior practically spit the raspberry back at Mom/Dad. Pieces are flying all over with the bulk flying by Mom/Dad's feet.


Mom/Dad wishfully looks down as if wanting to retrieve the lost berry.