MORE!

After a couple of nights in the city, and doing some of the things we need to do, we came back north this afternoon. No birds at the feeding table, and none in the pohutukawa. S opened the folding glass doors onto the deck and we sat for a while. Not for long, as the sparrows started to chitter away as they did three days ago, and as I did then I put out some seed. 

It took them a little longer to come for the seed, and they didn't like any movement without the glass in the way (not all the doors were opened). Especially, they flew away when I raised the camera. Not sure how to explain that. Right from the start, this particular juvenile was insisting on being fed. Intermittently it pecked at the seed, and then squawked some more, and was fed some more.

On and on. The father kept putting somewhat squashed seed into its beak. But until they all departed elsewhere (after the greenfinch eventually came and muscled in), father fed this rather demanding juvenile. 

Until looking at the photo as I was uploading it, I had not noticed that the sparrow immediately behind is probably another juvenile, as it still has the yellow gape. Yet that one fed itself without moaning about having to do so.

So much to do in the next two weeks. But we'll have tonight to relax. I'm about to fire up the BBQ.