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Expectant Prayers ®

Jennifer Jo Weiss

First Flight of the Robins

Talk about being at the right place at the right time.  I witnessed something AMAZING yesterday.  After watering the gardens yesterday morning, I was drawn to the robin's nest located on our down spout off of the screened-in-porch.  I think what caught my attention was their heads sticking over the sides of the nest watching me as I watered the vegetables!  Before I knew it, one was standing on the side of the nest!  I went up on the porch to get a closer look.   I wondered if he was going to attempt to fly!  He sure seemed brave and bold as he stood on the edge of the nest, chattering and practicing flapping his wings.

 
Baby #1

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, a robin family decided to build a nest off of our screened in porch.  We started off with 3 turquoise blue eggs, which we were able to climb up and see easily.   Over the past few weeks, we have watched the eggs hatch and grow (one didn't survive- it may have fallen out because I found it on the ground by the picnic table).  They got fuzzy and certainly loud as the parents would come to feed them.  We had noticed that the feeding frenzy had become an all day event over the past few days!  They were more than likely preparing them for flight!

A little before 9am yesterday, Baby Robin #1 got brave and leaped out of the nest onto the drain spout.  Within a few minutes, the dad arrived with a last bit of food and verbal instructions!  The mama chased away all the birds and squirrels in the area, swooping fast and furious at anything that got too close.  Then, just like that he flapped his wings and soared clumsily over to an evergreen shrub in the neighbor's yard.  The mama flew beside him all the way.  That was so cool.  Then the dad brought him MORE food.   I went over to the shrub to get a picture of him, but on my way there, he found a different location.   The sibling let out a lonely call from the nest and I wondered if he would be next!

I went to the picnic bench and watched for several minutes until...yes...he also emerged from the nest.

    
Taken from outside the porch right before 9am.



 

Mama arrived to coax him out further.  I snapped this shot and then went up on the porch so that they could commence with the flying lesson!


        
Images taken through the screen on the porch.


Coaxed by the mama, Baby #2 jumped out onto the spouting, then up a little further...
Then the whole process was repeated.  The dad gave him a bight of food, mama cleared the flying field, and he fluttered off the spouting.  Mama flew next to him.  He was facing the opposite direction, so he landed in our yard  right next to the fence.  Then he hopped under the fence to the evergreen in the neighbor's yard!  Dad came and brought him more food.  I could hear all four of them chirping back and forth in communication with each other.

About 10 minutes after the maiden flights, the dad came back and inspected the nest.  I don't know what he was doing, but it was almost like he was making sure there weren't any more in there.  He pecked at the bottom a little bit and cocked his head.  I found it somewhat amusing.  Maybe he was going through "empty nest" syndrome!

So there you have it.  Two successful flights of the baby robins... and I got to see it all. I have seen plenty of nests and gobs of baby birds, but you have to feel totally blessed to witness the very first flights!  Wow.





Happy Anniversary to my in-laws, Ben & Patty, today!
 You're getting closer and closer to your 50th!

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