The Robin Conclusion!

Finally! The long awaited sequel to the "Robin Story" is here!

I left the story on Thursday, the first day of "window well confinement". Friday, the first thing I did after waking, even before making coffee, was to go down to check on the the fledgling. I was so happy to see him up, alert and hopping around! The parent came throughout the day to feed him. 

Saturday and Sunday, the same routine. The baby was trying his wings at flying and he would get a couple of feet off the ground, then try to grab onto the screen with his feet to stay elevated. My husband and I started to worry that there was no way he would be able to fly up vertically the 9 feet he needed to get out. If you think about it, a fledgeling leaving a nest would drop down, not fly up. So on Sunday we made the decision that it would probably be best to get him out of the window well. Brian would take the screen off the window from inside the house, climb into the window well; catch him; climb a ladder and hand him off to me over the top of the fence.

There were many problems with this plan!

Catch a bird??!!

We didn't think about scooting him into a box or anything logical like that! We didn't realize catching him would be so hard. Not to mention that we didn't even have a ladder tall enough to be able to hand the bird to me over the fence!

OK--plan B--leave the ladder there so the bird could make it out by himself. 

Brilliant! 

The baby robin immediately took to the ladder,

but he still wasn't able to fly to the top of the window well.

  Next, we put a board on the ladder to be like a plank to the top, but it was too steep. 

Doesn't it look like he is looking up at me and saying, "What am I suppose to do now?"

Click on picture to see it larger and to get a good look at this adorable expression!

Tuesday, my husband had to leave town for a few days, and he was hoping the bird would have made it out so he wouldn't have to worry! Before he left, we decided to move the board we were using as a plank and put it across the top of the window well, hoping the bird would be able to get to the top of the ladder, then fly to the board. Once again, Brian goes to the window, takes out the screen to get into the well and the bird sees his big chance for escape--he flies right toward the open window! The natural reaction for Brian was to block the window with the screen that was still in his hand, which then knocked the bird, who bounced off and fell to the ground. Brian was SO upset, here we were doing everything we could for this baby bird, and he accidentally knocks it down. Brian was sure the bird was hurt and wouldn't be able to fly. After a little rest though, the bird was back to his perch at the top of the ladder and Brian successfully moved the board to the top of the window well. Feeling better, but still worried, my husband left for his business trip.

I kept a vigilante eye on the bird now. A couple hours after Brian left, the baby was on the top of the ladder when the parent came to feed him, I moved in to take a picture. The parent saw me and flew back up to the top of the fence.

I was so mad at myself, because of me the baby didn't get his breakfast. The dad stayed at the top of the fence though and kept chirping to his offspring. The baby, with head cocked, was intently listening. He took a look around as if assessing the situation; spread his wings; took a leap and FLEW to the top of the window well!

Do you see him sitting on the ledge to the left? He still has to fly over the well and to the top of the fence.

With heart in my throat, I then watched him delicately fly from the ledge to the top of the fence. I ran upstairs, looked out the sliding glass door to see this!

  Look how proud dad is, with his tail feathers spread out!

 Doesn't it look like dad is saying, "Good job, son!" 

 And when I sent this picture to my husband's phone, he said it made his day!

You are free to fly, my little bird!

 Thank you to everyone that left comments on my Robin story. Some even left comments with concern for me and my sporadic posting. Just as I helped and watched after this bird, I felt the support from you. We all need a little lift sometime, and I thank you for your encouraging words!

I am now ready to soar!!!

XO

Lisa

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................