Some time in April I kept hearing this thumping on our window. It would happen in the morning and later in the afternoon. I only heard it once or twice before until one morning it woke me up at 7:15 (yes, I was still in bed, I live 5 minutes from work, I’m spoiled). I throw open the curtains wondering what the g-willlakers is going on and watch a robin retreat to the maple tree outside our bedroom. This happened every morning for several weeks.
I tried everything to keep those silly robins from banging on my windows. They’re lucky I don’t own a gun. It was only our tight budget keeping me from getting a pelt gun and spending an evening reliving my childhood. Instead, I put signs up in the window, covered them with blue tape and the tapping and beating (which got earlier as the days got longer) eventually went away (not without a good deal of bird poop on my windowsill—stupid birds!).
“Stupid birds” I told Emily, “why in the world are they trying to get in our room?” We had no clue, so I did some internet research and found this is common in the spring. Birds are territorial and when they see another bird, they try to chase it off. This bird saw its reflection; stupid bird.
Then I found nests. Three to be exact. Amazingly constructed little nests on top of our rain gutters. If it hadn’t been for the bad impression these robins made with tapping, I probably would have left them; but I wanted revenge. I took the nests down and showed the boys and Emily. They really were amazing. The outside was lined with course bits of grass and twigs while the center was hollowed out with a soft grassy fluff. I would have felt snug in this little nest.
After I took the nests down I felt bad. I could only imagine the amount of work it took to bring each blade of grass and twig. The bird had even take some dirt and what I can only guess as spit to create a mortar for the rim of the nest. This made the nest strong and more resilient to perching on the ledge.
Well, when another nest appeared next to our garage door, I let it stay. There wasn’t any poop on the ground, and except for the occasionally startle I got when I came out the door and the robin flew off, no one was being bothered.
I practically forgot about the nest until today when we had some neighbor kids over and one of the little girls saw the nest and wanted to look at. I should say I’m a complete push over for little girls. My two boys are great, but if we have a third and it’s a girl, she’s going to be really spoiled; probably to a point where the boys will have to get jobs or beg on the street because I’ll be getting and doing anything for the little princess (for I have no doubt a princess she will become.
So, when I lifted this cute little girl up to see the nest, I was surprised to hear her say, “Hey, there are blue eggs!” Sure enough, five little blue robin eggs. The internet says that American Robins take about two weeks from laying to hatching (if only my wife’s pregnancies were so easy) and then another two weeks of training from Mom and Dad bird while they learn how to fly.
So, I think we’re going to have an exciting month ahead of us. If all goes well, we’ll have some more pictures of baby chirping birds. Luckily the nest is far away from the bedrooms. I know what it’s like to have new babies; hopefully these fledglings aren’t too colicky.
Hopefully this little family will do well. It seems that the parents are attentive and have kept the nest warm. And, with any luck, they’ll teach the fledglings well and the whole family will have a great summer.
My only concern, which is the same as any parents, is that the babies will stick around. I pray they don’t, because if I have five birds pecking and running into my window next year, I’m getting a pelt gun.
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