Recently I found this nest, belonging to female MABY (named in honor of Arrested Development, if you’re wondering) and male ARKM.
I couldn’t see clearly how many chicks there were, so I nudged them with my finger to try to get a better look—and they all thought one of their parents was waking them up with food.
Then, one by one, they decided they weren’t about to be fed after all.
Tough Little Birds 
I really like the second picture where you caught all four mouths open at one time.
Thanks! It’s the only photo like it that I’ve got; in most of my nest photos, one or two of the chicks is gaping, but the rest are asleep or their wobbly necks have fallen over. These guys were very synchronized.
This is great! Nicely captured!
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(And is it just me, or does this remind you of one of those old magnetic fish games?! You know, the one where you have little fishing rods with string and magnets, and fish that open their magnet-containing mouths one at a time and you have to catch them? … No? Ok, just me then. *Cough*)
Yes that is an excellent comparison! I had one of those games. I hadn’t thought of it, but since you mention it – perfect.
Update on this nest: as of earlier this week, at least three of the four chicks in these pictures are still alive, now fledged and able to fly and beginning to forage for themselves, although still begging for food from ARKM and MABY. That is an excellent success rate for a nest.
So nice to hear that! Good for ARKM and MABY! Hope you have more good news to report next week.
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