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.
Brad says
I was glad to be of assistance, and I hope those naked worm things with beaks made it through the night okay.
Lauren says
Update: Mama seems to be ok. I don’t know how the weather was in the night because at the first rumble of thunder I put a pillow over my head and slept that way.
Gretchen says
The robin is the one creature whose Latin name I remember. Turdus migratorius. Probably because of the potty-humor factor.
Deborah says
Is that a snake climbing up the left side of the nest on the first picture?
Peggy says
At 1st I thought, “HA! You funny Deborah!”
Then I scrolled back to the picture & AHHHHHHH!
Lauren says
Ha! It’s a maple tree seed. They are everywhere within a mile of my trees.
Peggy says
You were very brave to call Brad about an animal dilema …. I’m glad his advice did not involve a shovel.
I’m so glad you gave an update! Yay for the robin family! And I don’t think you’re crazy one bit Lauren…just a kind-hearted animal lover! (It’s good that you didn’t call me because I would have encouraged the shelter. Afterall, robins don’t have TV’s. They don’t know bad weather is on the way.)
Kristi says
And why don’t you have a videocamera on those eggs, running a live webstream so that we could see nature at its finest???
Lloyd says
We looked into that and it would have been a several hundred dollar project. We decided to put that money into a college fund for the eggs instead.
Kristi says
Why are you thinking about the future? The future is NOW!!!
Nigel says
It probably doesn’t help but that would be the type of thing I would worry about and do, also. I thought it was sweet.
Lauren's mom says
About the update:
Goodness, your hostas are beautiful!! Mine froze. Right now they are about five inches tall and the edges look terrible.
Lauren says
Rats. I’ll have to bring you some hostas. 🙂