an eggshell in the hand...

...is a fascinating thing.

 I was shocked at how fragile it was.  If we touched it, it cracked.  We dropped it on the grass, and it cracked.  How it stays intact long enough to incubate a baby bird, I'll never know.

Our neighbors have several barn cats that prowl our yard, so most of the birds' nests (if the birds are smart, anyway) are up high in the trees.  My parents, however, have a fenced yard with few predators, so when we are there, we get to see nests up close and personal.

All tuckered out - hatching is hard work!