July is a time when many young birds, often not fully formed, are compelled by an unknowable instinct to climb or jump out of their birthing nurseries and enter into a dangerous world. It is then that they discover and begin to master one of the most enviable experiences – unassisted flight.
Above, you see a fluffy fledgling downy woodpecker resting on a spruce yesterday after a choppy flight in which the tree could not be avoided:
Below, you’ll see a stumpy-tailed song sparrow after a short aerial maneuver that seemed to make him proud:
(Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on July 8 [sparrow] and 12 [woodpecker], 2022.)