and then there were none.

Well it has been determined that the ground nesting sparrows that visit me each year are Song Sparrows. I was able to take one last picture after the chicks began to fledge (note there are only three left in the nest at his point). The parents and siblings were excitedly chirping all around me as I snapped this.

By the next day, the nest was completely empty.

It is completely amazing to me how quickly they can raise their young from hatch to fledgling, how they keep them protected from weather with their own bodies and the amount of energy that goes into feeding 5 hungry babies.
Hope to see them again next year!