Topaz Labs is having a small sale ($20 off) on Sharpen AI (HERE<<link) until August 7th. It’s not much off, but if you are in the market, it’s not bad. Better than a poke in the eye (maybe).
Here are a couple of examples:
That has introduced a few minor artifacts which I can remove by other means. It could be choosing different settings would reduce/eliminate the artifacts.
This is, perhaps, a better example . . .
You can click to get a larger view, but here’s a gallery . . .
Note: I was not asked to do this post, nor am I receiving any compensation or commission from any sales.
I think the product does a pretty good job in many instances, and — if you can afford it — it’s worth having.
By the way, about the second image . . .
This is the second time this year I’ve seen a similar scene . . . it looks like a Song Sparrow feeding what looks like NOT a Song Sparrow fledging. Unless fledging Song Sparrows are much larger than what they will be as adults.
I’m assuming this is an instance where another bird added their egg to the Song Sparrow’s nest and the sparrow is now raising the young as its own.
I’m also assuming this is a Brown Cowbird fledging because they are notorious brood parasites, although I’ve not noticed any Brown Cowbirds around during my time here.
I was trying to find the incidence of such devious trickery because, as I said, this is the second time I’ve seen this, and I’ve yet to see a Song Sparrow feed any of its own young (although I don’t know where they nest near me).
That’s it. This post has ended . . . except for the stuff below.
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Disperser Tracks 
My curiosity about cross-species feeding led me to a great article in the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology). Here’s an excerpt: Of the birds that you are likely to see in your garden, House Sparrow, Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Blackbird and Nuthatch are among those that appear to feed young of a different species most often. So, yes, I’d say your photo shows this clearly. Great Sharpen, by the way.
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Yup, in the process of researching, I read a lot about it. What I couldn’t find is the percentage of times it happens for each species. I imagine that if it’s over half the time, it wouldn’t be sustainable.
I also read some birds tolerate it because if they get rid of the eggs, the Cowbird will destroy the nest and the bird’s own eggs.
. . . seems like a protection racket for birds . . . “Nice nest you got there. It’s a shame if something were to happen to it. By the way, here’s my kid; would you mind raising it for me?“
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What sweet birdies! And beautiful photos of them livin’ their lives.
HA! The Stick-Guy should charge more than $2.
(((HUGS)))
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Thanks, Carolyn.
And yes, except maybe for the song sparrow . . . I’m thinking there’s an advantage to being a hummingbird . . . very unlikely any of the brood parasite species would pick a hummingbird nest . . . but it would be cool to see a hummingbird try to feed a brown cowbird as if it were its own young.
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I would like to see that!
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