An empty nest

Just a quick update on the baby Mockingbirds I've been observing for the last two weeks. They're gone! The nest was empty this morning.

I visited it on Wednesday, and the three of them were huddled together, much bigger than they had been several days prior.

But this morning, the nest was empty. There was nothing underneath or around the area; only a few downy feathers left in the twigs. My first fear was that they became lunch for a hungry snake. But when I got home and did some research, I read that Mockinbirds typically fledge within 12 days of hatching.

In fact, it has been exactly fifteen days since I watched them hatch, so it is quite possible that they left the nest of their own accord. At least, that what I'm hoping.

So, whether they became nourishment for another animal, or simply took off on their own, the Mockingbird chicks are gone. Nature is endlessly perplexing...! :-)