Going on four months ago, Steve and I made a road trip to the western half of the state to find some birds of the plains, run with bison, and generally harass any other creatures that we might encounter. Our primary destination was Dunn Ranch Prairie, a Nature Conservancy tallgrass prairie habitat, but there were other stops along the way. This looking like a week that winter is first saying its hello, I thought it might be time to remember July.
Our first stop on our journey was Tucker Prairie CA, located near Columbia. This was a small patch of prairie, located within sight of busy Interstate 70. On an isolated Persimmon tree near the parking pull-in we found these guys.
“Four Patient Ones”
Here’s Mom trying her best…
“Is That All You Brought?”
Dad helped out once in a while. Here he brought a dragonfly…
“Are You Sure It’s Dead?”
This is where and how we left them. We knew they were within mere days of fledging. We also knew we were at risk of staying and watching these guys until they did. With our heads full of second thoughts we continued our trip to the north-west, wondering and hoping the young ones the best.
With dutiful mom watching over how could anything go wrong?
“Mom”
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 
Beaming with fond memories, my friend! Love how you’re unfolding the story. Image titles are perfect! Hope they’re all well on their way or newly arrived in Central America by now. What a journey for these fledglings, so new to the world! Incredible.
Thank you, sir!
Harrison: “Nest in tree 7-30 ft above ground, generally on horizontal limb or fork, sometimes in crotch; also on utility poles, windmills, towers, bridge frameworks. Nest roughly built of forbs, twigs, rootlets, cotton, wool, sometimes rags, corn husks, twine; lined with cotton, Indian tobacco, rootlets, horsehair. Eggs: 3-6, commonly 4-5. Indistinguishable from Easter and Western Kingbirds. Notes: Author found 16 nests in 1 day in Runnels, Taylor, Callahan Counties, Texas, all in roadside mesquite trees, all 7-13 ft above ground, most 7-8 feet. Of 9 nests that could be examined, 1 had 3 eggs, 5 had 4, 3 had 5.”