Did I tell you that there were four eggs in the nest? I took a photo a couple of weeks ago but didn’t do an update. There’s not much to say during the actual incubation period other than, “Well, they’re still ovoid in shape.”
Today we had a pretty severe storm in the afternoon, and another storm was forecast for tonight that could involve hail. I thought about the robin and her eggs getting smashed up, so I started designing nest-covering prototypes in my head. Not a beach umbrella – that would just blow away. A ladder? Anchored down with some sort of board/roof attached? Hmmm…. workable…..
I am aware that I am crazy.
When I got home I looked out the window and saw that maybe I could zip-tie the branches around the nest to make a sort-of-roof, then I went out to investigate in person.
That robin hates me.
I peeked in the nest and there was some kinda giant worm inside! Gah!
Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear!
Run inside!
Lean out the window!
Take some photos!
Well, this certainly threw a wrench in the works. Now it wasn’t just a mama and eggs, it was a mama and babies. I didn’t have time to think about it too much, because I had a meeting to attend. Afterward, I thought about calling Lloyd (who was at a state soccer game) for advice, but decided that Brad was the better option.
Lauren: “I need you to talk me down off some crazy.”
Brad: “Again?”
I told him that I needed him to tell me that not interfering would be better than interfering, and that he should throw in some ‘God takes care of the birds’ stuff, too. He did so admirably, and even went so far as to share a story about a robin at his school who built a waist-high nest in a bush right by where eighth-grade boys walk. When he told the science teacher about it, she sighed and said, “Yeah, robins are kinda stupid.”
That was very helpful. So – I pray that these robins make it through the stormy night, and if they don’t, then maybe that stupid mama robin will pick a better spot for her nest next time.
All the same, if it hails tonight – it’s going to be hard for me to sleep.
Update: Life imitates art. We had hail at 8 this evening and I went crazy. As I stood there I thought, “I’ve killed the mother by making her fly out into rocks.”
She’s alright, by the way. I am cold.