A Robin's First Flight From My Backyard

Last Father's Day, I discovered a robin's nest atop one of my backyard pear trees.  I think that's the Mama Bird looking at me as I tried to take a photograph of the nest.  The nest was pretty cool-looking with twigs, dried grass, and strings.  I also saw some pieces of plastic and dryer sheet hanging out of it.  How innovative nature's creatures are!

Here's another view of the nest.  Everyday, I watched the nest and observed how the Mama Bird would rest there keeping her head up looking out to make sure her babies were safe.  She'd leave to get food (mostly worms) but she'd only go within a few yards away.  I always saw her stay fairly close by.  She mainly foraged the ground for food.  I never saw her eat from the bird feeder that I kept filling up with more seeds.  I only saw cardinals, finches, and wrens eat from there.

I couldn't get pictures of the babies before their feathers grew but I could always see their fuzzy little heads popping up from the nest.  Their little beaks always pointed upwards waiting for Mama Bird to come back with their food.  You can actually see one of the fuzzy little heads in the back, right side of the nest in the second picture (if you click on the picture and look real close).

Today I saw one of the three babies out of the nest for the first time.  Here he is on a branch of the peach tree next to the pear tree that housed its nest.  The cute little bird kept bouncing around the branch trying to get the right feel for the open air.  Mama Bird kept flying back and forth from the larger tree outside the fence and the rooftop of our neighbor's house.  It seemed like she was trying to show him it was safe to leave and follow her away.

A few minutes later, both Baby Bird and Mama Bird were gone.  Perhaps they've gone to where the other babies flew off to.  (Sigh!) I wonder if I'll ever see those birds again.