the robin (part 2)*

There are two pillars holding up the roof to the front porch of our house. Robins like to nest there.

This spring, we had a mama robin who had 4 baby birds. The mother watched us carefully in our comings and goings, always avoiding us as much as possible, but also risking it all to bring food to her young. She nursed these 4 baby robins to a hefty size. Then one day, they all flew away.  

A few weeks later, another robin came to nest atop the other pillar. She was just as valiant as the last mama. She worked hard to eat well so she would produce warmth to incubate her young. She too avoided us as much as she could, but also risked it all to get back to her nest and lay on her eggs.

One day last week, I noticed I hadn't seen her for a few days. How odd, I thought. I haven't even seen the babies. Could they have been born and left already? After a few days of not seeing her, I got a stool and climbed up. I couldn't see inside the nest, but took a picture and then looked at it.

One egg. Never to become a baby bird.

I like to think that the mama had to leave and continue her bird life, and hopefully nest again soon.


Thank you for all the comments you left for my friend Veronica. Her baby bird also did not make it.      




*I wrote about robins way back when my blog was just wee. Here is the link.