For the past 5 years a Robin has built a nest in the same exact place ever year. For some reason they like that very edge of our porch roof to make a nest that is built on a board about 3″ wide. This nest-building starts in late April with one Robin…then after her eggs hatch and the babies fledge…she abandons the nest. Within a few weeks another Robin comes and repeats the entire process.
I enjoy sitting out on our porch watching them build the nests, sit on the eggs and once they hatch…feed their babies (mostly worms and insects). The one thing I don’t like is the mess that they leave behind. All kinds of dried mud and mounds of bird poop. Yup, after the nest is abandoned I have to spend the time cleaning the area!
Once the babies are a week old you should hear all of the noise coming from the nest. They are often calling for mom to come feed them multiple times a day. If she doesn’t come right away, their calls and cries get louder and louder until she appears with something for them to eat. They really know how to get mom’s attention when they want it.
It’s fascinating at how quickly they grow. Immediately after hatching they’re bald…no feathers, down or anything. You can see all of the wrinkles on their skin. In addition, they’re eyes are shut for a few days. When you look at the size of the egg that they came out of…you wonder how did that little bird fit inside it? They always appear to be at least twice the size of the egg after hatching.
Nature…it’s something that always grabs my attention. Do you enjoy any time of bird watching?