Our baby Robin

Image found on The Graphics Fairy

I just have to share this story, it is one of those things that has me totally consumed!
Wednesday I was in the backyard tending the garden, potted plants and yard, when a Robin with a big fat worm in it's beak flew in and perched on the fence not even four feet away from me. I stood there and watched the bird, and it seemed like he was watching me. (Yes, I say he, the male birds have a much brighter chest and darker head.) I took a step closer and he hopped down to the lower rail of the fence. I continued to stand and watch him, and he seemed to be getting agitated. I know there aren't any nests in the trees in my yard, so I didn't know why he wasn't just flying off. When I turned to walk away, he hopped to the ground and there in the rock bed was a baby Robin! Dad fed the baby and flew away. Of course I then walked over to take a close look at the fledgling.

Photo found here.

So wish I would have run in to get my camera at this time but since I didn't, I had to search the web for a picture to show you about the size of "my" baby robin! Ours might be a bit younger than this picture.
I sat on the patio and watched the parent bird come back and feed him again-amazing! OK--I'm not one to sit around too long, so I went inside to do some work, but kept looking outside. Later, I saw the parent robin hopping around the patio, doing a little chirp, chirp with a bug in it's beak. The baby had moved and he was looking for it! The baby was found and fed, but instead of flying away, the parent hung around and the baby started following it (hopping)! He went quite a distance before running out of energy and quit following. OH, don't you know I was so worried, was he in a safe place? Will Dad find him? Would he survive the night?
The wind started to pick up--would he be protected from the wind? My husband was sure he wouldn't last through the night. We have coyotes, owls, hawks and last week I even saw an eagle catch a rabbit in the green space behind our house. To add to my worries, we were under a tornado watch with rain and hail expected.

Found in Google Images.

So many questions/concerns were going through my head:
Where is the nest? How far away is it? How did he end up here? Most of all, I was amazed that the
parent found it, and was taking care of it away from the nest. 

Found in Google Images.

Thursday morning: good news, no severe weather here, some rain but nothing worse! While making the morning coffee, I saw an adult robin on our patio, then soon, hopping out of the rock bed came the baby!! I didn't spend time watching--had coffee to make! Once that was done, I went outside to find where the baby was hiding now, but didn't see him. Soon the parent came to the spot where he last left the baby, did his chirp, chirp and then headed toward the window well. My stomach felt like it was in my throat, "Oh no, not the window well." This window well is about nine feet deep. It is by a garage door, so there is fencing by it so people, dogs or rabbits can't fall in it.

 (When we first moved in, my cat wanted to see what was on the other side of his fence. He used one of his nine lives, because the fall didn't harm him at all!)
I rushed downstairs to look out the window, and there was the baby nestled amongst the rocks in the corner of the window well. He looked like he was ok!
Now I was worried if the parent was going to come back to feed him.
So I waited, and waited, after about 15 minutes the daddy came down to feed his "problem child"!

 Looking down the window well that spot in the lower left of the window is the bird. (click on pictures to see larger image. If you have been following me awhile--you know how I feel about the current camera I'm using!)

 While I was taking the picture over the fence, I heard the parent's chirp, chirp. I moved away and dad flew down the window well with another mouthful of insect goodness for the (runaway) baby.

After the little one was fed, the parent then flew back to this fence, which is where I first saw him Wednesday. Those rocks are where the baby originally was.

And here are pictures of the baby.

OH----how I worry!!

I'll keep you posted................