An American Robin Family
In a previous post back in March, I shared the return of our American Robins, who had a song to sing in the tree outside our bedroom window any time from 3:00 a.m. until after sunrise.
At that time, I had also noticed in another tree directly below my balcony a nest from last year’s season.
Nest from last year (taken 3/30/19)
It was a few weeks later, I thought about that nest again and looked down to find it was undergoing a tidy renovation.
Nest Under Renovation – 4/19/19
So that’s what those Robins were doing.
Their short-story in photos.
Incubation Time – 4/27/19
Beautiful Eggs – 4/30/19
As the tree leaves began to fill out, I could no longer see the nest. It took breezy conditions to blow the leaves/branches out of the way enough for me to get the rest of these nest shots.
Keeping Those Eggs Warm – 5/4/19
Parent On Watch – 5/6/19
And then I saw a clue…..
Worm Tug of War – 5/9/19
Hanging Onto The Wiggle – 5/9/19
“This is not enough, is it?” – 5/9/19
I was elated with the day’s breezy conditions to try and actually capture these next shots.
Four Newborns – 5/9/19
Hungry – 5/9/19
Continuous Gathering of Worms – 5/10/19
Pile ‘0 Robins – 5/10/19
Hungry Mouths – 5/10/19
After those last two days, the winds died down and I was never able to see down in the nest again.
But I could hear them. And I watched the parents stay busy.
On Watch – 5/17/19
Lots of Mouths to Feed – 5/18/19
Here’s the nest about six feet high off ground level – 5/20/19
Nest – 5/20/19
I eventually knew the Robins had fledged but could never spot them hiding in the flowerbed.
A few evenings ago, an hour before sunset, I heard a little one begging quite loudly, so I looked for him.
There he was….
Alone – 5/24/19
Between 2-3 weeks old – 5/24/19
“Doesn’t Anyone Hear Me???” – 5/24/19
“Cutie Pie” – 5/24/19
He suddenly hopped quickly out of sight to an incoming parent. Food!
I can still hear a chirp-chirp on occasion but haven’t seen the babies since, most likely they are learning to fly short spurts and increasing that skill each day now.
The parents are still around, keeping a watchful eye.
Parent On Guard – 5/26/19
American Robins can successful lay 1-4 broods a year.
Parent at Sunset – 5/27/19
“Get ready for Round 2….”
“What???” – 5/27/19
Photos by Donna 
It is a demanding life being a bird parent. Thank you for this enjoyable sequence.
Yes it is, I don’t know how they do it year after year. You are welcome, Tom!
We’ve always loved Robins! Great shots, Donna! 🙂 We have a wonderful mother Robin on eggs on our front porch. They are safely out of the violent rains. I hope that the fledglings do well when they pop out! 🙂
Thank you, Tom! We love their song too, except maybe at 4 in the morning, lol. The discovery of this nest and babies makes up for it. 🙂 Fingers crossed for successful fledglings hopping around your porch!
you did a excellent job of documenting them Donna! Now that the nest is empty I’d be doing a few trimmings so I could see better into the nest.
Thank you, Wayne! Hmmmm….where are those tree branch trimmers…… 🙂
I’m not sure how dedicated you are Donna but you might want to look into putting up a bird cam. You could watch them day/night and document them even better.
I’d like to do that with my eagle friends but that would cost more than I could afford. My eagle friends are far away from electricity. I’d have to use solar cells and swap the card every week or so.
Boy, I would LOVE to put a cam on Osprey Bella & Beau for sure! When I started the first nest photos in this post, I had no idea the Robins were going to occupy it. So I thought maybe I’d get lucky with a series if the leaves weren’t too much of a problem. Our community’s landscaping is controlled by a Homeowner’s Assoc so I really cannot cut any tree branches, I was just teasing. 😉
nothing says you can’t tie back limbs
😉
If you suggested “get ready for # 2” again and he’ll chase you and peck you!
Lovely post my friend! Did you use a ladder for these shots?. 🙂
The parents do keep an eye on me while I’m on my balcony, but I think we’ve got a truce going on between us. 🙂
The shots in the nest required me holding on to my camera and lens with both hands firm and shooting straight down into the nest over my balcony railing. I didn’t do it too, too many times for fear of my camera slipping from my fingers for some crazy reason. I really, truly lucked out on this six weeks’ series of shots with the wind’s help, blowing the leafy branches just out of my view as I tried to focus and shoot split seconds. I had a bit of adrenaline pumping going on with it all, lol.
Beautiful and fun images Donna!
Thank you, Reed!
A wonderful showcase of images Donna, describing the nesting process so well. How blessed you are to have them nest so close and visibly that you can see into their nest. Love the colour of the eggs, stunning!
Thank you, Ashley! I had no idea when I took the first couple photos of the nest that it’d end up the beginning of a short bird family story. What a blessing! And those eggs, such a beautiful color indeed, and a favorite color of mine! 🙂
Lovely pictures, especially the eggs and the babies. I love the color of robin eggs.
Robins are so commonplace that I just never pay much attention to them. But after seeing your adorable pictures, especially of the worms gathering caring parents I am in love with them. 🙂
Thank you, I love that egg color too, one of my own favorite personal colors! Robins do have a beautiful song also, except maybe not at 4:00 in the morning, which our pair does. 😉
Hahaha! We have a cardinal in the backyard that starts singing at 4:00. I know that feeling 🙂
😲 😉
Success! 🙂 Great photo-series, Donna.
Yay! 🙂 Thank you, Eliza!
Such a nice treat to see baby Robins!
Yes, they are so fluff-ball cute, thank you!
Great photos and documation
Thank you!
Laughing… ready for round 2. Some magnificent catches here taken from your sweet perch. I’ve been trying to catch the comings and going at the 2 (of 3) birdhouses E put up. We have a violet-green swallow occupying the one that’s easiest to see, but that swallow buzzes in and out so FAST that it’s hard to catch (and in a shady spot to boot). The other nest appears to have a black-crowned chickadee darting in and out… another one that moves far too fast AND in the shade, and farther and less easy to spot…. Ahhhh, the challenges! I suppose it’s what keeps us going! 😀
Thank you, Gunta! When I took those last two shots of the parent on the perch sitting so pretty, and he turned on that last one to give me that glaring look, I thought it fit perfectly for the “round 2” comment. hee hee Oh boy, you’ve got two fast species to practice with, that is a challenge! I got to photograph the Violet-green Swallows when we were out West few summers ago, we don’t have them on the East Coast, what a stunning swallow. Yes, that is what keeps us going, it’s a blast and keeps us on our feet! 😀
Quite the story, and well done with all the photographs. 👏👏
Thank you, Ted! It became a pretty special series, without knowing in the beginning there’d be a story. 🙂
Awesome !!! Great story of American Robin!!
Thank you, Indira! Nothing more sweet than little ones!! 🙂
What a beautiful story and as always, your photos are incredible☀️💚☀️
Thank you, Diane! We never know where and when a story arises with wildlife. Fun stuff!! 🙂
So beautiful dear Donna, and also amazing, you did great photographs. But as always, Thank you, Love, nia
Thank you, Nia, and you’re welcome!
Wonderful series of photos!! Thank you, Donna.
Thank you, Isabel, and you’re welcome!
That’s quite an odyssey of an upbringing that you’ve documented. The eggs are such a vivid color; seems like that might attract predators.
Thank you, Steve! Robins are very smart in building their nests just under a canopy of branches and leaves to hide, which they did here. I got very lucky with the wind blowing enough to give me a chance to get the two egg shot. 🙂
Wow! What a nice photo story, Donna! These parents seem to have been very busy…and successful!
Thank you, Helen, it’s so amazing what unfolds with wildlife who live so near and around us without most knowing. 🙂
So true!
American Robins’ nests are so well built and the eggs always pretty. I remember trying to protect a fledgling from the neighbourhood cat, they are cute but oh, so vulnerable.
When I got my first flash of the eggs when the wind was blowing, I was all smiles and in awe. It is such a gorgeous color! Yes, so vulnerable, I’ve worried a bit about the Robin babies on the ground now, try not to think about it. 🙂
OMG! Turquoise eggs! I always thought “Robin Egg Blue” was a pale blue.
That baby was so cute. I’ve never seen one, with spots & all.
Thank you for sharing!
Aren’t those eggs gorgeous?!! Robins eggs range from sky-blue to blue-green in color. Thank you and you’re welcome! 🙂
❤❤❤
Brilliant shots Donna. Thank you for taking the time to capture and share them. 🙂
Thank you, Mike, and you’re welcome! 🙂
You have the eye, patience and passion for daily activities of nature’s wildlife. I enjoy reading ur stories. They inspire me to do more observing
Thank you for your kind comments! I’ve found a hobby I enjoy very much. 😊
Incredibly coloured eggs, and such a tidy nest. Talk about hungry mouths to feed….
The nest is much tidier than B&B’s for sure. It’s always amazing to see baby birds with their big mouths. They don’t want to miss getting a morsel! 😉
A wonderful story told through great images! I hope that all the little ones made it, as I love hearing robins sing, even if it’s very early in the morning.
Thank you, Jerry! We all hope so! 🙂
What a great documentary! THANK YOU so very much!
Thank you, David, and you’re welcome, it was fun to put together!
How wonderful you were able to document this … and so thoroughly too. Wonderful post and photos Donna!
Thank you, Denise, it was a story that fell together nicely! 🙂
What an amazing and heart-warming series of the life cycle of a robin, Donna. Thank you for paying attention so that we, too, could marvel at the process.
Thank you, Tanja! I am glad I spotted and paid attention to that old nest leftover from last year. 🙂
I always feel privileged when I discover something so precious!
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