Stalking An Elusive Robin
What a gorgeous Sunday morning! Temperatures were down and so was the humidity. I didn’t feel like yardwork, so I sat on the deck, reading and enjoying some downtime. My favorite boy toy joined me for a while but went back inside when the heat started building.
While he was still out there with me, we noticed the tree on the other side of the gate had a deafening clamor of baby robins demanding food from their momma. Within minutes, momma showed up with food, then all would go silent again. This went on for a while and those babies were LOUD. It’s a good thing we don’t have neighborhood cats hanging around to hear the advertising.
So my boy toy went in and it occurred to me to try and take pictures of the robins. This isn’t the only nursery in our yard, but it was the most active this morning.
I wasn’t alone out there. The other two boys had already gone in to start their afternoon nap, but the miniature pinscher enjoys his outside time. Why he didn’t move to the shade is beyond me.
It’s twice as wide and twice as long as that tiny muzzle.
The robin was flying up on the posts on either side of the gate and from there hopping into the tree. I moved my chair over to get a better view of the gate, focused my camera, and sat there patiently with my lens uncovered. And sat and sat and waited and waited. You get the idea?
Darn robin. She was watching me from the birdbath and wasn’t too happy with me focusing on her nest.
She finally decided that the babies needed more food. But she didn’t fly to the top of the gate where I was all ready. Oh no, she decided to land in the grass in front of the gate.
AND THEN SHE RAN UNDER THE GATE. From which she flew up into the tree. Darn robin.
I came in the house to help my favorite boy toy get a pizza dough going for lunch, then came back out to try again.
She still didn’t go to the post next to the gate, but she did fly up to the gate and gave me a beautiful side view. I took a number of shots as she just sat there watching me. Until she started glaring at me. Clearly, she thought it was time for me to go.
The robin below is actually not the same bird (the breast is a much brighter red but not totally filled in yet), but I am apparently still a person of interest as in GO AWAY.
I think this might actually be a juvenile from an earlier nest.
While my company decided he was bored and needed his nap too, but if I was going to stay outside so was he.
Actually, he looks pretty comfortable.
I really had to laugh at that momma robin. What smarty pants she was! I would have loved to see the look on my face when she ran under the gate to get to her babies without me noticing her. It was probably as good as when I turned around because I was bored and found her watching me from the bird bath.
I started out just trying to take photos in my backyard. It was fun sitting there with my camera to see what I could get. A good story from it was just a bonus.
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I am a backyard adventurer, philosopher and observer, recording my life in journals and photographs. Visit my blog at www.livingtheseasons.com.
Living The Seasons 
Cool – we only have robins in the winter – Jan/Feb – most pass through – so never see those babies.
Love that “busted” shot.
Who know why dogs like to bake. The GErman wanted to do it everyday for a bit…and that hot doggy smell when she came in – but figured she enjoyed it and sunshine with vitamin D is good for nerves as well as coat!
That’s one thing about birds, unpredictable. It’s a wonder she didn’t buzz by your head. That’s what happened to my hubby once when he walked out of his shed. She was ready for him!
The redwing blackbirds used to do that to us when we went bike riding. We were glad more than once for those sturdy bike helmets. I hadn’t had a robin do that, although this one was mad enough at me.
WHAT A DELIGHTFUL STORY, I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT AND YOUR PICTURES, LOVE, MOM
I’m glad you liked it!