For the last 2 and a half weeks, the girls and I have been watching an American Robin's nest. When we began the project, we were hopeful we would find a nest we could observe, but when the girls reminded me that the one that had been under our deck last year was knocked down by a neighbor boy who will remain nameless...I was a little unsure this project would "take flight."
After finding no nest under our deck, we went hunting. Within a few minutes...success!
We found a nest from last year sitting in a Bradford Pear on the edge of our yard'...right at my eye level!
We began looking the nest over and saw that it was still totally intact, but littered with the remains of the tree's pear blossoms. No tenant it seemed. So we took the picture below and continued our search for actual Robins. Several were about and the girls had a great time watching them, trying to identify males and females (females are duller in color and rounder in the breast'...seriously!)
The next day we returned to check on our nest and found that it had been totally cleaned out...not a single blossom remainder inside!
When we returned the day after that...we were greeted with one blue egg!
(Sorry, no picture of that day!)
The next day...day 4...Mama Robin had laid another perfectly blue egg.
Day 5...Easter...You guessed it!
3 eggs!
After finding no nest under our deck, we went hunting. Within a few minutes...success!
We found a nest from last year sitting in a Bradford Pear on the edge of our yard'...right at my eye level!
We began looking the nest over and saw that it was still totally intact, but littered with the remains of the tree's pear blossoms. No tenant it seemed. So we took the picture below and continued our search for actual Robins. Several were about and the girls had a great time watching them, trying to identify males and females (females are duller in color and rounder in the breast'...seriously!)
The next day we returned to check on our nest and found that it had been totally cleaned out...not a single blossom remainder inside!
When we returned the day after that...we were greeted with one blue egg!
(Sorry, no picture of that day!)
The next day...day 4...Mama Robin had laid another perfectly blue egg.
Day 5...Easter...You guessed it!
3 eggs!
Every day after that Mama and Papa took turns sitting on their trio. For a total of 14 days from the first laid egg till now, they sat and sat and sat.
To say that the girls were getting a smidge impatient for
something to happen
is a bit of an understatement
Two days ago Anna Grace swore she saw a crack in one of the eggs. Emma suggested that it was a little something else...but who can say for sure?!
Today, after playing outside following lunch, the girls and their neighbor friends told me that they found a blue broken egg shell on our driveway.
With much excitement, I told them....
You know what that might mean, don't you?
The eggs may have hatched!
I walked over and peeked in and this is what I saw...
3 baby Robins!
I wish I had video of the kids' reaction when I made the announcement!
Wild screaming and cheering!
Jumping up and down!
Begging me to let them see.
I, of course, snapped my picture and then did my best to shoo the voyeurs away.
I was quite relieved to see the Mama return to her babies after we all went inside!
Stay tuned as we continue our Robin Watch 2011!
In Him,
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