Cheri and Nate + 9.
Ha…not even close! Nate and I are enjoying the process of watching the Robin’s raise their young though.
The “Quads” (back of house) at around 7:00 pm were very hungry!
…while the Quints (front of house) were sleepy . . .
…It takes both momma and daddy Robin to feed the Quints now . . .
… In a Robin’s world…the daddy’s do the diapers!
…yes, that is the male taking the fecal sac straight from his offspring’s rear! If you dare, click on the picture for a bigger photo!
As Nate was going out last night, he found one of the “Quints” on the driveway. It was still alive and moving, and looked so pathetic and helpless. . .
. . . so he gently picked it up
. . . and put it back in the nest with the other four
. . . then Nate and I rigged a safety net. We couldn’t stand the thought of it hitting the ground again….or Gabby getting hold of it.
Robins identify their babies the way we humans recognize ours- by sight and sound, not by smell. So it’s ok to safely put the babies back in the nest.
. . . it worked.
There was a little one in a box this morning.
. . . we’re trying something new tonight. We took a grapevine wreath that has a Robin’s nest on it from last year and connected it to the light fixture.
. . . there just isn’t enough room in that little nest for 5 babies! Our plan is to set the ones that fall out in the “lower level” nest and hope that momma and daddy Robin will care for both nests of their brood!
I can’t believe we are doing this. There must be some kind of genetic defect to have a soft heart for wildlife — and both Nate and I have it. Der.
As soon as these little ones leave the nest….we are taking the dang things down. Robins have two broods one after the other each spring. I can’t take another brood! I need my beauty sleep.
