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!

Name that bird?

Every year a pair of ground nesting birds sets up house keeping in one of the bee frames I use as raised beds. Their nest is perfectly camouflaged in the grass, I didn't see it until I was right on top of it and had nearly destroyed it with the hoe. The eggs are very tiny, not even the size of a dime. Even newly hatched they grow fast! These two photos were taken just 2 days apart. Again just two days later! Mom and Dad must work very hard to feed and care for their little brood. No room left in that nest, it's packed. I'd love to identify them so I can get them some seed. They look to be seed eaters from their beaks, but I'm no expert, not by a long shot.
They look somewhat like common house sparrows, just more elegant.
They have similar, but deeper color and lack the dark patch on their chest. I set the bucket next to their nest to remind myself and Rob they are there so we can avoid the nest whenever possible, and to keep me from accidentally weeding their nest away. It looks like they are also making use of it as a perch. I was very lucky to get this picture of both of them feeding their young from my bedroom window. So any ornithologists out there have any idea what breed of bird they might be?