Robin's Nest

I had two of them. Two little nests, one tucked in between the branches of my tree in the front yard and another built high above in the crook of a gutter spout near my back patio. Two nests, each with a mommy robin and two eggs. I took pictures of them while standing out of sight with my telephoto lens. I was hoping to stay far enough back so as not to scare them. Once, while in my breakfast nook, she saw me and flew across to the neighboring tree. She gave me the evil eye as if to say--stay away from my babies. I was very careful after that. It wasn't my intention to cause her any anxiety; I was just curious. I had never before been that close to a nest, let alone one with real baby chicks still hidden away safe inside.

It kind of felt like I had a secret. A little family of birds all my own. I felt protective of them — always making sure they were all right. I worried when it was too hot, and the sun was beating down on them. I worried when it was cold and windy, with the mommy robin's feathers blowing fiercely in the wind. And then one day, the horror of horrors happened.  We had a storm, and one of the nests was blown out of the tree into my front yard. The only evidence--tiny little feathers scattered on my front porch. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried--just a little. I was heartsick. The incident made me all the more protective of my remaining nest and little chicks.

I was truly blessed one morning. I got to see it. I experienced it firsthand for the first time in my life. I woke up, and as was my habit, I went to the window. There, perched on the side of its nest, was one of the babies.  He looked straight ahead at his mother, who was about 10 feet across from him, and in one swift motion flew--he landed on the closest branch, his mother not far away. I felt the intake of my breath as I literally gasped out loud. It was beautiful to see. I waited for a long time. I wanted to see what would happen next, but after several minutes, I realized he was most likely going to stay on his safe little branch for a while. He sat calling out to her, but she was waiting, teaching, and being a mom.

They are gone now--mommy and baby. I wonder — who will come back next year? Where will the new nests be built?  I'm looking forward to watching, waiting, and discovering. I love birds.  Always have.

I guess in some ways I feel like that mommy bird. I watched her prepare, build her home, make it safe. And in a moment...the nests are empty. My chicks flew away a few years ago. They tested their wings and then, in a breath of time, they were gone. Yes, I think I feel her pain, for it happened to me too.

Mommy Robin

Feeding her babies

Watching protectively

                                                             

Baby bird