the story of family Bay headed Tanager....it started all on June 9th 2017

It started all next to our balcony... 9th of June 2017, suddenly a lot of action ... a pair of bay headed Tanagers started to build a nest.They were both building the nest. These birds are very energetic and so in no time there was a nest and also 1 egg only.
We were looking forward to the time that was ahead for us. We could just sipping coffee and follow the whole happening.
Around 13th of June the nest was ready and  the female was breeding.

The male was always watching and once in a while they took off together,making nice cute sounds.But this is what we did see a lot, the male on guard....

Then we did notice the 2th of July that both were more restless. The female was more moving in the nest and checking the egg or was  there something happening?

On the morning of the 3th of July 2017... yes we did see movement, a small beak... 

The female was all the time on the nest, only away for dinner. And the male was feeding the immature.  See also a video https://youtu.be/4jWYpOH8zV4

4th of July.... more appetite...both parents were feeding and the Mum was also often on the nest.

I am always amazed how fast those little birds grow..this was already(zoomed in) 7th of July!

Look at the beak!

9th of July...the green feathers are coming!!! (click to enlarge)

the 10th of July...my gosh...suddenly the chick is sitting on his nest...both parents are making soft calls all day:

This picture was taken in the afternoon, he decided to spend the night in his nest, was cleaning his feathers all day and his little wings were going like Hummingbird wings.

And then in the early morning of the 11th of July 6.30ish am, he was still in his nest and an hour later he did leave the nest. https://youtu.be/WFc_BcU0UKs   and  https://youtu.be/Y02mBj0RBd4

Both parents pretty upset, looking all over the place. (Hans and I too 😉😊 )But not even a meter to the left of the nest... he (or she) was sitting in the dense tree on a branch, cleaning his feathers.He was doing that the whole day and the parents were busy with the little one.

11th of July 2017 in the afternoon.. a healthy chick with an attitude...he or she will make it!

And so this morning 12th of July 2017... 6.30ish am, I was on the balcony...checked the brush..the trees.... he/she was gone... flew away into the wide world! I felt a kind of sad and happy...mixed feelings.

I looked up and there was the male bay headed Tanager...staring at me...was he thanking me for the support? 

Greetings from Terry van Niekerk

http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html