Birdie Update

I don't know how many of you have been reading our blog since last spring. Boy, I don't know if anyone is reading our blog at all...but I will save that for another post. ;)

But if you were reading posts last spring, you may remember my post about the series of nests that the robin built on my front porch. She built four nests, and then choose to occupy one to hatch her little chicks. (Is that the human equivalent of redecorating and then changing your mind, three times?!? Or maybe that's why they call mother's instinct "nesting")

We were fortunate enough to be able to watch all the nest building, the egg sitting, and the worm feeding last spring. We never removed the nests from the rafters of our porch.

This year I noticed some new activity on the porch. One of the nests, the same one the robin used, is occupied. These new tenants are tiny birds, maybe sparrows or finches. They are very shy. We have seen the tiny beaks poking up from the nest and we have seen the flutter of mom or dad to and fro. We aren't sure what type of bird, and they are too shy for a photo session. If you look really closely, at the back of the nest, you can see one of the new tenants. Any idea what kind of bird it is?

I guess leaving the nest intact, in their original spot has paid off. Now we have a set of birdie "condos." Who knows, maybe we can start to charge rent!

Update: June 20 - Last night I noticed a family of birds living in the nest second from the left. I looks like another family of finches or chickadees. Wow! I really should charge rent.

Hatched!

The babies have arrived. By our count, there are at least two very hungry robin chicks in the nest. The mama robin is doing her job bringing lots of worms and protecting these tiny chicks. Here is their first photo.

The other three nests she built must have been "practice nests" She stopped sitting on them a few weeks ago, and directed all of her attention to this one.

I will keep you posted if there are futher developments.

It takes a village...

It may take a village to raise a child, but apparently it only takes one bird to raise a flock. The girls and I have been watching the four nests built on our front porch. These nests apparently are tended by only one bird. She must have been one busy bird, and she will be even more busy when her four nests hatch eggs!

Have you ever seen such a thing?

We'll keep you posted when the eggs hatch!