I know that I am not supposed to post twice on one day, but look at what just happened.
My first baby robin! Am I lucky or what? This morning when I left for work, all four egg in nest#2 were still the same, and I thought there will be 3 or 4 more days. But when I got home around 7pm, baby #1 was half way out! I ran into the house and grabbed the camera, but by then, it's already came out! Man, this baby got awesome power! I really wanted to watch this little guy for a while, but I was afraid it might catch a cold without mommy's protection in such a cool and rainy evening. So, I came back in for dinner, and of course mama robin flew back immediately.
This is another picture took at 8pm. The little guy was very active, his mouth was wide open, just like those nature shows. but it was still very weak, so, when I took this picture, it fell back into the nest. So adorable! And take a look at the egg to the right, do you see those cracks? Baby #2 is coming out! I will check it again before going to bed. I read some articles about robins, and knew they lay one egg per day, and only start hatching them after there are 3 or 4 eggs in the nest, so the little ones will come out around the same time. This is absolutely amazing! Great timing skill! There might be 4 hungry baby robins next morning. But these eggs were later than the ones on the deck, but those are still quietly sitting there? Maybe the mama#2 is more experienced and sat on the eggs longer than mama#1. Who knows.
This is how the nest #1 looks like. A couple of days ago, I finally figured out a way to help mama #1 with the rain situation. I have a plastic shelving unit, which can be taken apart. So, I put one section right over the nest, and put a heavy pot on top, so it won't be blow away that easy. Oh, I also put all my plants out there again. Mama #1 was very curious when I did that, and carefully checking out her newly renovated home, and finally accepted it. Now she has a roof, and beautiful front yard! I will check out her eggs later too.
My first baby robin! Am I lucky or what? This morning when I left for work, all four egg in nest#2 were still the same, and I thought there will be 3 or 4 more days. But when I got home around 7pm, baby #1 was half way out! I ran into the house and grabbed the camera, but by then, it's already came out! Man, this baby got awesome power! I really wanted to watch this little guy for a while, but I was afraid it might catch a cold without mommy's protection in such a cool and rainy evening. So, I came back in for dinner, and of course mama robin flew back immediately. 
This is another picture took at 8pm. The little guy was very active, his mouth was wide open, just like those nature shows. but it was still very weak, so, when I took this picture, it fell back into the nest. So adorable! And take a look at the egg to the right, do you see those cracks? Baby #2 is coming out! I will check it again before going to bed. I read some articles about robins, and knew they lay one egg per day, and only start hatching them after there are 3 or 4 eggs in the nest, so the little ones will come out around the same time. This is absolutely amazing! Great timing skill! There might be 4 hungry baby robins next morning. But these eggs were later than the ones on the deck, but those are still quietly sitting there? Maybe the mama#2 is more experienced and sat on the eggs longer than mama#1. Who knows.
This is how the nest #1 looks like. A couple of days ago, I finally figured out a way to help mama #1 with the rain situation. I have a plastic shelving unit, which can be taken apart. So, I put one section right over the nest, and put a heavy pot on top, so it won't be blow away that easy. Oh, I also put all my plants out there again. Mama #1 was very curious when I did that, and carefully checking out her newly renovated home, and finally accepted it. Now she has a roof, and beautiful front yard! I will check out her eggs later too. 
11 comments:
Hi SallyZ, I, too, have had the pleasure of watching the progress of Robin's egg hatching. All of "my babies" hatched last weekend- 3 on Saturday, and 1 on Mother's Day while I was watching! It was amazing to watch them grow but sadly their lives were ended on Thursday. When I went out onto my deck to check on them, empty nest. I was heart broken. I called the Audubon Society & was told it could have been: blue jays, grackles, squirrels,and crows are apparently the usual suspects. I can't tell you how much I loved watching them and how much I miss them. Good luck; I really hope that your outcome is better than mine.
Hi, mary,
I am lucky with the nest on my porch so far. And all 4 of them hatched during the weekend. I have lots of blue jays, squirrels and crows in my neighborhood too, just hope they won't dare to come to my porch and steal my robin babies. Don't know what happened to the missing egg from the nest on my deck though. That mother must not very experienced and leave her eggs couple of hours at a time. Hope those babies still alive inside.
Morning Sally, The unattended eggs may be due to the fact that they are not fertilized. As you know, the mother robin starts sitting on them constantly ( except of course to grab a quick bite ) so that they will all hatch at pretty much the same time. Guess all that you can do is to keep on checking them. I'll be anxious to find out what's happening.
That is what I thought. And those 3 eggs were actually earlier than the 4 already hatched on my porch. And since the mother didn't sit on them for about 2 days now, I thought they either were not fertilized, or they could be all dead in there already. I still see the mother around sometime. Just hope she will come back soon. Maybe it's her first year, and she didn't know better. All my fingers are crossed now.
OH Sally, I can only imagine how badly you feel. As I have been busy getting my deck and yard ready for summer, I haven't had a chance to read your blog..... I'm so sorry for what happened. I know it's easy for me to repeat what I was told when I lost " my babies" but, remember, it's Mother Natures way and that's why a mother robin will lay @ least 3 clutches from Spring to Summer. I was also told that only about 1 in approx 50 babies make it to adult hood.
I can't imagine finding all that blood etc- again, I'm so sorry. At least when mine were taken, there was nothing left behind.Thinking of you........
Sally- I am so sorry about the URL that I sent to you. I had been reading another story and ended up sending that instead of what I intended!! Big oops
Mary
Here is the correct one:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Wild-Animals-705/American-Robin-breeding.htm
Thanks so much, Mary. I read a lot about Robins recently. I think the ones hatched was eaten by my neighbor's cat, and the others got abandoned by the mama#1 was not fertilised at all. I hang a small hanging basket on one of my oak tree and hoping that mama#2 will come back and build another nest there and have more chicks. Just hoping.
Hi Sally, Altho we have both lost our " baby robins", I continue to read your blog. I'm so impressed with your energy! And would you mind sending some of it my way?! I, too, love flowers- your Columbines are beautiful-- mine all reverted to pale violet ( pretty but....) The plant whose name you'd forgotten is called "Celosia" and they are very pretty and make for great dried floral arrangements. Your bachelor buttons are fabulous! As I'm sure you know, the ones you have are annuals so they obviously self seeded from previous years. I have perennial bachelor buttons and from dead heading and tossing the spent flowers through out my garden bed, they have spread like wild fire.Just an FYI, I live about 24 miles east of Boston, am an RN but currently not working, have a hubby,a 23 yr old son and like you, LOVE nature. Take care in this oppressive heat!
Hi, Mary,
Thanks for telling me that name. I just remembered it starts with C*. My friends all said that I am really energetic, but I think it's too much for my DH sometimes. He always complains that I spend too much time in the yard, or in the basement working on some "project", or sitting in front of my lovely sewing machine "working". But to me, all those are fun, I feel more relaxed doing the things I love. He should be happy I am not watching TV the entire weekend!
I think the robins are still building nests, because the other day I saw a robin trying to steal some cotton string from my trellis! Silly bird hold one loosen end of the string, and try to fly away, and almost fell to the ground! So silly! But lovely. I don't think they will build any more nests in my yard, but still hoping.
BTW, I live in woburn, right above I95. I work in a hospital as a computer programmer. Love the job, but hate the commute. I rather spend the two hours in my garden.
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