Window With A View

by Tammi Morgan
(York, PA (USA))

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of watching a family of baby Robins as they nested right outside my window.

When I say outside my window, I mean exactly that. It's like an aquarium where I can stand there and view what's inside only it's a nest and birds!

The bird nest is within the bush in front of my house that is of course in front of my window.

The entire bush is pretty secluded except for this area that allows me a clear sight without distraction of the nest and all that happens within.

At first I tried to take pictures through the window but between the flash and the screen they were not clear.

I then opened the window, removed the screen, and got some awesome pictures... with my camera on my phone!!!

Two weeks ago I saw the three birds take flight for their first times. Actually I saw 2 of the 3.

The third one remained in the nest for an extra day and mom continued to feed.

I also got to watch her as she maintained watch of her newly flying babes as they ended up flying from the front yard to the back.

I was interested/amazed to see that the male also seems to feed and take care of the babies as well as mom and both seem to watch over them as they enter into the world.

I'm a newbie to this information as you can probably tell. Nevertheless I'm absolutely fascinated and captivated now of these Robins.

When the empty nest was left behind I actually understood the meaning of "empty nest syndrome" as I glanced from time to time at the empty nest out my window.

Thinking the nest would remain empty until next year I was absolutely shocked to look out my window this morning and see four brand new blue eggs.

And yes I did take more pictures! (Are you kidding me!? This is a perfect window with a view!).

So knowing nothing previously about Robins I have come to this site to learn of their nesting habits.

In doing so I saw this opportunity to share. I wish I could upload more than one picture because I have so many.

Also the eggs are gorgeous in the nest and I got a great shot today. The picture has captured their beauty.

I hope that this time I will see the babies hatch. Now I'm off to read this website to learn more about the nesting habits of these sweet little birds and my new extended family!

Second Brood in Nest

by Jenny Weaver
(Bainbridge Island, Washington)

After listening to a robin bang into my bedroom window for a month, my family was delighted when she finally made a nest in the rhododendron only four feet from the window. With a mirror we saw her three eggs, and loved every minute of watching her and her mate tend the babies.

All three little robins made it out of the nest right on schedule. There was a crow that was watching the nest and tried to attack the fledglings as they left the nest, but the parents were very brave and successful at keeping it away, as far as I could tell. I have three small children who loved those robins.

It has only been two and a half weeks since the three baby robins left the nest, and the mother robin is back on the original nest! While she was off today for a few hours, I peeked into the nest with my handheld mirror, and there are two new eggs. I had not thought that she would use the same nest. She did add some new dried grass, but otherwise the nest is exactly the same one she used for her first brood.

My kids shrieked with delight when I told them, although my husband groaned . . . he had been ready for the babies to leave the nest so we could have our bedroom window open again!

Robin Eggs and Easter

by Celine Fortenberry
(Charlotte, NC)

So just this Easter, April 4, 2010, my husband and I were hiding eggs for the kids to hunt and find.

We have two Bradford Pear trees in our front yard, we usually place the eggs in nooks and crannies of the trees along with all over the entire front and back yard.

As I looked into one tree, I noticed feathers and at first I thought some bird lost their feathers! I started to reach and grab, but then hesitated and boy, I was glad that I did!

I walked around the tree and to my surprise I was looking face to beak at a beautiful Robin sitting in a nest.

I told my husband and kids that the tree was off limits. I grabbed the Nikon to snap some photos, the Robin flew away and I was able to take a couple of shots of the beautiful blue eggs. I am so excited that she is there.

I don't get too close and just walk in yard casually to make sure she is still there. I don't want the nest to get abandoned as I have heard that happens sometimes also. Hopefully she will not.

We have a bird feeder in the front yard and a bird bath in the back yard, so I am hoping they are happy there.

We don't use chemicals in the yard due to our kids run around a lot outside and thinks this is good for nature also.

Oh, to treasure life!

Homemade Robin Nest

by Steve
(Lewiston, Mn)

By accident a robin family built a nest out our back deck just in the crotch of our downspout. Every day and evening we would go in and out and the robins would just stay there in their nest. They seemed to get used to us going in and out all the time.

I got the idea to build a nesting shelf like the one pictured above with a platform and sides and a roof. I then hooked this into place by an outside window and guess what the robins did. They built their nest on top of the nesting shelf I built for them.

Indeed they were still under the eave of the house so they were dry but the nesting shelf is built on an angle and they built their nest so that it would be level, so they are quite the engineers too.

I read that if you supply water (bird bath) and some fruit that they may build in the area, so that is exactly what I did. I supplied all this on my deck and sure enough after a one year layoff they came back.

It is fun watching them. I wasn't sure if she laid her eggs or not so I got my smart phone and took a picture because the top of the nest is only inch's from or eave. To my surprise there were 3 little one's inside the nest so I quickly departed and the parents seem to not mind us at all.

I have been watching the Decorah Eagles on the internet but these Robins are fun to watch especially since they are feeding them so much now. I'm beginning to wonder if one of the parents has met it's match since it seems like only one is feeding them now. Maybe I just can't tell them apart.