Harbingers of Spring
The baby robins are developing rapidly. Their eyes are no longer bulbous and huge looking as they were. Their wing feathers are darkening and filling out. I love the little triangular beaks!
I took a peek at the tree yesterday to see how the baby chicks were faring. I saw a beak resting on the nest and thinking it momma bird, I simply walked away. This afternoon, my son wanted to take a look at the nest to see how big the baby birds had grown in a week's time. {We think the baby robin birds were about 5 days old last week.} He hoisted himself up in the tree and suddenly we heard many chirps and tweets from momma bird and daddy bird. They were most upset. My son was shouting down to all of us, "They are all birds now". Momma bird was flying up in the tree and chirping like crazy.
Suddenly the momma bird came swooping by the next and down came all three little baby birds. I'm not sure if she knocked them out or her mad chirping caused them to jump out. It all happened so quickly. Two little ones landed quite nicely, but sadly, one little robin landed right on its beak. The two little swift birds quickly started to hop this way and that while momma and daddy birds were calling and chirping and hopping about with them. The little face planter uprighted himself and pretty much stayed right where he was. I moved him much closer to the tree and there he remained. He didn't try to spread his wings at all or hop around. My little one was very concerned for this runt.
One little bird hopped into the street and my children were quite upset and there was much shouting and running about. Then another bird hopped in the steet and he was the fighter of the three. He somehow made it across the street and nearly down to the pond. I rescued him and carried him back to our yard. We attempted for quite awhile to catch the little runners and not hurt the birds in any way. It was quite I sight I tell you. I grabbed a small pail and placed the caught birds in there. I fetched a ladder from the garage and my daughter carried the pail up the ladder and attempted to place the frightened birds back into their nest.
After many failed attempts, more running about, more chirping, more swooping, some bird poop on my son's face and some tears, I decided to bring out a much bigger ladder. I climbed up that tree and gently placed each baby robin inside the nest and said a quick prayer that they remain in there this time.
These little birds need a couple more days of food and growth and then they will be off. It was a crazy, amazing afternoon and one my children will not soon forget. My son kept repeating, "I can't believe that bird ate a worm from my hand".