Adolescent Robins

Hello,

Last evening I looked out to see one of the robin youngster flapping its wings enough that it managed to get out on the downspout. After sitting there looking at the world from a new angle it walked back to the nest and clamored in.

“Oh Leroy,” I said, “They will be leaving the nest soon. I hope I get to see that.”

This morning at breakfast I checked to see one mid sized robin on the downspout and no visible heads in the nest. After scanning the ground in the area and the trees another sibling was spotted on the neighbor’s fence. Then the downspout guy took off and landed on the ground. The fence sitter finally tried to fly into a close tree, but could not manage and so clung momentarily to the neighbor’s garage. After a bit he too flew to the ground. Leroy and I spent about five joyful minutes cheering them on as they hopped around the yards looking for worms. Did they really know what they were looking for?

Just as I was done watching the show, a parent robin came back to the nest with a morsel in its mouth only to find that the brood had flown. All parents can be taken by surprise that the young have grown up to forage on their own.

Tomorrow we will drive to a MN State Park where we will meet Brian, Jen and Sophia. We are camping in a camper cabin for the weekend. There is to be good weather. And we will try to prepare for the coolness in the mornings and the evenings. Maybe long underwear is in order. Certainly our down sleeping bags will be appreciated in this unheated cabin, getting in and out will be the exciting, chilly part. Is it better to stick a leg out cautiously or just hop right out into the brisk air?

Paula