robin fledglings

Here are photos I took over the past couple weeks of the robins from the nest just outside my dining room window. Four blue eggs were laid April 22 to 25. Four chicks hatched about a week later. They grew really fast until they didn't fit in the nest. The nest was a pile of feathers, birds stacked on birds. The big orange-breasted chick ("Alpha") was always calm and got the best spot in the nest. Two middle-sized light-breasted birds looked identical to me ("the Twins"). The smallest had a red breast and shorter tail than the others ("Tiny"). On May 19 they all fledged. Alpha disappeared early in the morning. Soon after, one of the Twins was gone. The other Twin stayed in the branches near the nest with Tiny til early the next day. Then Tiny was alone in the branches by the nest. He stayed another day, then disappeared also. For a week I never saw any of then. Now this week, they are back in my yard. The chicks follow a parent searching for worms in the grass. Sometimes she feeds them, sometimes they pull their own bugs. I've seen up to three chicks together. A small short-tailed red-breasted one always puffed up and looking timid (Tiny?), a calm red-breasted one (Alpha?) and a light-breasted one (a Twin?). Well the world is theirs now. They can fly to the tree tops, hide down under the bushes and feast on all the bugs out there.

robin nest

Today I realized there are 4 chicks in the robin nest outside my window. They are growing very fast. I will live stream video until they fledge: http://www.livestream.com/robininthegarden

hatchling!

I just noticed that a baby robin has hatched!!! There is a little ball of pink that I saw as the mother was shifting her position. It must have just hatched this morning.

    http://www.livestream.com/robininthegarden 



Not the best photo - I didn't want to disturb them too long.

robin webcam

Here's a link to see the robin nesting in my garden. I didn't pay for the premium service so you need to watch a 30 second commercial before you see the stream.

http://www.livestream.com/robininthegarden

There are 3 eggs in the nest that I think will hatch on about May 10.

A third robin egg today!

robin nest

A second blue egg is in the nest today.

robin nesting

A robin has built a nest just outside my dining room window. She's been coming and going all week, but today is staying put on the nest. When she left briefly I saw there is one bright blue egg. I'm hoping she doesn't get too bothered by the activity inside the window.

robin in the snow

The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.

The North Wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will the dormouse do then? Poor thing!
Roll'd up like a ball, in his nest snug & small,
He'll sleep till warm weather comes in. Poor thing!
-author unknown, traditional nursery rhyme

This robin was eating berries from the snow covered holly bush in my back yard this morning. We have many robins that over winter here. They seem out of place, but are nice and fat. I noticed my holly has more berries than usual this year. With all the summer rains we had, I bet there is an abundant supply of berries for the winter birds.

Today have about 5 inches of fresh powder snow. This on top of about 5 inches of old snow. Boston has had a season to date total of 27 inches of snow. Well above our normal amount. Fortunately much of it melts before the next storm.

(By the way - its an American robin. And here's some information of winter robin habits.)

garden birds (Hortus Aves)

robin fledgelings

I was enjoying watching a couple of American robin fledglings in my yard today. The mom is busy tending them. In the bird house next my home garden, the sparrows must have just hatched as I can hear a quiet peeping coming from inside. I bet the bluebirds at the meadow are busy feeding young, too.

garden birds (Hortus Aves)

american robin

Cheer-up, cheer-up! My garden workers are returning!

garden birds (Hortus Aves)

robins nest

I found out what the robin is doing with the hay. First she goes to the dirt in my backyard and scoops up some of that with the hay, then dips it all in the pond, then goes up to a nest about 40 feet up in our neighbors big Norway maple. I know robins build lovely mud-lined nests, but I didn't realize they'd nest to high up.

gardenbirds

the early bird gets the hay

This robin is very happy I mulched my garden with hay this year. She (he?) is helping herself to big beakfuls and carrying them off. I'm trying to figure out where the nest is, but haven't yet. I have a lot of hay, so am very glad to share with the birds.

garden birds (Hortus Aves)