Nature Done Wright

Photographer John Pastore writes:

I have a couple of sequences of nesting birds, that the Fyke crew might enjoy seeing. 

First is the Canada Geese family from the point of Warden's Watch. Got a
mating sequence, through the hatching, which was on Mother's Day
morning.  Timing was as follows:

Apr 2:  Mating
Apr 5:  Dad defends nesting territory
Apr 14:  3 eggs in nest
Apr 15: Mom is on nest – I assume 4 eggs
Apr 15 through May 12:  Mom rarely leaves nest
Apr 18 – photo seems to confirm 4 eggs
May 5 – now a 5th egg!!! – seems odd
May 12 – Mother's Day – 3 of 5 babies hatch
May 13 – the babies begin to wander, dad follows, and mom faces dilemma –
stay on last two eggs, or follow the goslings.  She follows.  I don't
believe the 5th egg ever hatched – it was there some days later.  If I
had to guess, the 4th egg was viable, but I just wasn't there to see it
hatch.

Canada Geese:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/catfishjohn/sets/72157633466186833/

The second set are a cardinal family, in a rosebush next to the shed in
our yard.  From eggs to fledgling (which was just last week).

Timing was as follows:

May 7 – nest constructed, presume no eggs yet.
May 10 – 3 eggs.
May 10 to May 20 – incubation
May 20 – first shot of feeding, one of 3 eggs are hatched.
May 22 – all three eggs have hatched
May 27 – mom and dad taking turns feeding the brood
May 29 – the babies leave the nest

Cardinals:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/catfishjohn/sets/72157633795457804/