I’ve had my eye on this nest of Eastern Phoebes in the lean-to outside my office. This morning, I noticed a flurry of activity out the window and saw a tiny little Phoebe perched on the edge of a folding chair.

He’d made it the eight feet from down from the nest for his first flight! Of course I grabbed my camera and raced out back. He looked so uncertain about things!

I got within a few feet to snap pictures and he just sat there studying me while two of his siblings looked on from the edge of the nest.

Finally, he got up the nerve to give flight another try. This time he made it to the top of the wood boiler where he rested a while and collected himself before taking flight again and disappeared into the woods.

All the while, Mama Phoebe was not happy with me.

She glared at me.

And hopped around.

Always returning to keep an eye on me every time I ventured out to check the little birds progress. Very exciting!