Ever seen just hatched baby birds? When I was out at Dyess monitoring on Thursday, I photographed these baby birds in one of the nestboxes. I find it easier to check on the contents of the nests by using a small digital camera, switching to “macro,” positioning it above the nest, and then taking the picture. Was I excited to see that the eggs were hatching! I only took this one picture because I didn’t want to disturb the process of birth. I hurriedly closed the box and moved away.

Here’s a closer look. You can see “arms” with almost hand-like projections that will become wings; translucent skin with the little veins showing; baby-fine fluff that will soon become feathers. Aren’t these pictures fascinating? Not because I took them but because birth is such a miracle. How do these naked, featherless, blobs ever become bouncy, chirpy, flying birds? How can bugs, worms, and mosquitoes transform this mass of gel into something beautiful? Nature is indeed a series of miracles!