Although summer is in full swing, my backyard has been very active like a spring morning with new chicks hatching. Yesterday I watched a Great-Tailed Grackle feed it's chick. The mother left her bird and walked around the grass looking for food. As soon as she found some she hurried over to her chick. The small chick was anxiously flapping its wings with it's mouth wide open crying out to be fed.

The chick stayed put on the damp grass under the shade from a gracious tree. After the mother made her way around the yard gathering food she started to fly outside of the yard to find food and then back to her baby chick. I was actually surprised that she was gone for several minutes leaving the chick alone before she made her way back. Thankfully there weren't any predators around to take the chick. They enjoyed the day in the shade and then by late afternoon when I looked outside they were gone. I enjoy watching the birds in my backyard especially one the days when its too hot to go outside. It makes me feel like I'm close to nature even when I'm at home.