Baby Robins

We got home and a Robin flew out from under the canopy of the weeping cherry tree out front. I looked under and saw a few beaks sticking out of the nest. The hatchlings had finally arrived and were waiting for the mother/father to return with a meal (hopefully of grubs from the front yard).

I snapped a shot of these little darlings and you can see their beaks sticking up waiting for something yummy.

I found the Robins nest by accident a few weeks ago when I heard some strange noises outside. It was the mother/father who was pecking at Kate's car window and door. I thought the bird was nuts, maybe it had seen its reflection or something, but it was persistent. The next few days the car had bird poop all over the back and side doors. This bird was not pissed, it was pooped. It also did its business on the back of my car as well.

The bird poop doesn't happen nearly as frequently this week, probably because the energies of the parents are on feeding the two new members of its growing family, so no time to poop. (I know this feeling).

But the behavior is typical of Robins who are defending their nesting area. So if you notice a lot of bird poop on your car and there are no trees or roosting areas directly above it, you may well be in a nesting zone.

Blue Jays are famous for dive-bombing anyone that wanders in their nesting zone, which happened to my dad one time. I remember looking out into the back yard from the dining room window and seeing my father step off of the sewer cap that was situated at a low spot in the yard and a blue jay swept down and dive-bombed his head. I remember thinking, "Did I just see that?".

At least it didn't poop on you, Dad!