Pre-Ramble: Quick update on our bird nest …. According to the National Audubon Society’s Sibley Guide to Birds, our resident feathered friend (as discussed in May 12 post) is a Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina, shown right).

… a small, gray brown bird with a clear gray chest, rusty crown, white eyebrow with a black eye line, a thin gray black bill, and two faint wing bars.

Apparently, the female builds a “cup” style nest and lays 3-5 blue-green eggs with brown markings (!).  The incubation period is 11-14 days and then an additional 10-12 days of toddlerhood. The tell-tale detail though was this: “Nest is placed low in dense shrubs and is almost always lined with animal hair.” (!!!)

The Take-Away:  Another egg showed up in the nest this morning (see blurry photo below);  T-minus 1-3 more …