I knew today would be their big day when I saw them all standing on the edge of their nest before bedtime last night.

I got up very early to make sure no kitties were napping on the porch. At first, I thought I was wrong about flight day, because all the babies were still half asleep in their nest.

But, once breakfast began, they sprang right out.

Except for one. One wanted to stay.

I watched this one take his (her?) first flight. She sat peeping on the branch for a long time,

thinking it over,

thinking it looked like a long way down,

and then going for it!

She made it!

So proud of herself. Or himself.

Their little crests on their heads weren’t visible until they were about to fly. I don’t know if it was fear, or excitement, or even bravado that made their crests arch up, but just before leaping, up they came, like the full-grown cardinals, a sign of growing up.