Sad news…two days ago I was out in the yard and found the second baby robin (two of three – last week I found the first one) dead in the grass. I’m not sure what is taking them from their nest…someone suggested a Blue Jay.
Last night I took a photo of the last baby robin sitting contently in its nest.
And then I found it dead, this morning, under the tree where the nest is. I’m sad.
Now, I wonder if I’ll see Mama Robin anymore? I’ll miss her.
This is an update on our resident robin and her chicks.
I noticed her nest in the tree outside our bedroom window a few weeks ago. Three beautiful eggs and a dedicated mama, sitting on the nest day and night. I kept checking in on her, and talking to Mama Robin throughout the day, and she got used to me.
Then we left town for a week. I thought of her when we were gone…wondering how she survived all the rain we heard we had, and wondering if her chicks had hatched. When I arrived home, I immediately went up to see her. I believe Mama Robin remembered me.
She was still sitting in her nest and all seemed well, but I couldn’t see any chicks.
However, the next day, when mama flew away for some food, I saw the eggs were hatched. I think I saw all three chicks, but then the next day there were only two. I found the dead chick under the tree, when I was out doing yard work.
When I am outside and approach Mama Robin’s nest, I warn her I’m coming. She doesn’t fly away.
It’s been a fun nature show to watch.
Many beautiful happenings are all around lately…to name just a few:
We went to see Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. It was phenomenal, especially for those of us who grew up with her music. She was a prolific song writer, with over 118 top hits, written or co-written. We had a wonderful time.
Another beautiful event was seeing the northern lights…
I had told friends if they ever hear of the northern lights in the area to let me know…and one night, last week, she texted and said there was a good chance. I was in my nightgown, but threw on a jacket and shoes, and off I went (Gary was in bed already). I noticed several others out, along the way to my viewing spot. We were all hoping to see the northern lights.
We did, and they were beautiful. Basically there were streaks in the sky with a very faint tint of color, but when you took a picture the colors popped.
Blooming spring trees are blossoming all over town. I noticed, in our very own crabapple tree, there is a robin’s nest with three “robin-blue” eggs in it.
I say good morning to mama, every morning, and greet her several times during the day, as she sits in her nest in the tree right outside our bedroom window. It is a beautiful sight.
There is a family of foxes in our neighborhood…two adults and 8 pups. I’ve seen 8 of the 10 foxes. It’s a short and easy walk to go watch these playful and beautiful creatures, so I try and go see them often.
A farm scene in spring, with red barn and cattle and blue skies and spring greens is always beautiful.
So grateful for beauty that abounds.
I always enjoy sitting on the front porch of my son’s home in North Carolina. His house is at the end of a cul-de-sac, next to a wooded lot, that in winter and without the leaves on the trees, you can see a sliver of Lake Wiley.
Even in the winter, when it’s about 45* here, I still like to grab some blankets and bundle up and sit out on the front porch with a cup of coffee.
Occasionally we can see deer, and always lots of birds.
Yesterday I saw four deer and this morning I saw a red-headed woodpecker, my first robin of the season, a beautiful Eastern bluebird and, something new to me that I identified as, a Ruby-crown Kinglet.
I enjoy seeing the birds and listening to their singing, and also watching the squirrels scampering to and fro. Squirrels are fun to watch in the woods (not at one’s bird-feeders!)
It’s a great way to start the day.
As I looked through my kitchen window over the weekend I noticed a flutter of bird activity on our crabapple tree out front. On closer look I noticed the birds were robins. I was able to capture a photo of two as several flitted in and out of the tree, enjoying the berries still hanging on the branches. Robins and winter…I’d fly south if I were them.
I saw my first robin on Sunday afternoon, along Jefferson Road. This is my first sighting this spring, and then I saw two more.
After an evening walk, not in the dark because of daylight savings time (another sign of spring), I saw two robins in our neighbor’s tree. I looked through our binoculars to confirm. They were a pair.
Other signs of spring on my walk: the snow is melting (and a lot more snow will melt this week when the sun comes out and the temperatures rise into 50*’s) and there was no ice on the paths. However, there were lots of puddles.
I heard many birds chirping, and I heard water gurgling… both wonderful sounds… and I saw a few ducks already enjoying the thawed portions of the pond.
Spring brings hope once again.
*I’m not sure foxes are a sign of spring but Saturday evening while it was dark, before daylight savings time began, we watched a fox walk down a city sidewalk and cross the street in front of us…I think he was lost.*
