The robin chicks fledged the nest in our garage on Sunday morning. It's all happened so fast – just around a month from the eggs being laid to the chicks flying and I'm so pleased I managed to get one grainy photo of the five of them before they departed. I also made a video of the adults taking wax worms to and from the nest last Saturday.
When I opened the garage back door to get the chicken food early on Sunday there was a tiny fluffball perched on the floor just inside. And when I looked in the nest there were still two chicks there but the other three had made the big jump, so I came straight back inside and made a 'No Entry' sign for the door. The door was kept shut as it was important that the chicks made their own way out once their wings were strong enough for them to fly through the open windows. Human access to the garage was strictly on an 'essentials only' basis, so did not include getting ice-creams from the freezer - I was not popular as it was so hot here! I checked this morning and it looks like they've all made it out, so for now we have our garage back, although Mrs Robin has been sighted carrying in new beak-fulls of moss so is obviously getting ready for a second brood – apparently they can have up to 4 broods in a year if the conditions are right.
I'm struggling to find the words to convey just how incredible and special the experience has been. Nest building, egg laying, chicks hatching and flying the nest to disappear out into the undergrowth of the big wide world – it has been a true privilege to watch it all happen and to be so trusted by the adult birds. The best moment for me was early on Sunday morning when the male flew down and perched on my big toe as I was sitting on the deck having coffee – quite an awesome moment.
Now I'm on magpie alert, we have a lot around here and their favourite food is small bird fledglings, chicks and eggs. I've got to know the alarm whistle that the adult robins make when there is a threat nearby and then go out to wave my arms around and be a human scarecrow – probably amusing any neighbours watching!
Thanks so much for your kind comments on my previous post – I am in the process of replying to them all and they've helped enormously – I am feeling a lot more upbeat. Hope you're having a good week where you are, see you again soon x
little cotton rabbits 
Thank you for sharing this lovely experience. So uplifting and so touching! You’ve made my day reading this just now!
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Awe I love that little video Julie and as you say such a privilege to witness it all so close to hand. As for landing on your toe, well that has to be the ultimate gesture of trust!!
V x
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oh Julie thats amazing. I had a similar experience a while ago but with mockingbirds. Except they are not friendly when they are protecting their nest and the nest was in the bush right by our front door, so for a week or so the parents dive bombed our heads!
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and mine 🙂
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Fabulous. Thank you for being a great neighbor to wildlife!
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How wonderful, I’m glad they fledged successfully. I’m not sure if we have great tits in our nest box this year. We did last year, and as you say it was amazing to watch. How fantastic that the robin landed on you, they’re really brave and fearless aren’t they. Fingers crossed for another successful brood. CJ xx
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This really made my day, I can completely understand how happy it made you feel! It feels so flattering to be trusted by nature, such a privilege. I am also a human scarecrow when I hear a bird’s alarm call in our gardem. At least they’ve had a headstart in such a safe nesting spot.
I am always amazed that our houserabbits recognise bird alarm calls and also know which birds can be a danger.
Debbie
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Loved your story.
Nature is a wonder all of the time. She never disappoints and shows us humans what real beauty is and how we should appreciate the precious gifts she gives us.
I am fortunate enough to live on a ranch and baby bunnies, marmots, pine martens, chipmunks, sand hill cranes, Canadian geese are all having their babies right now, and it is simply a joy to watch parents and little ones scurrying about and learning about the world around them. As with you, I feel fortunate and privileged to be able to view these moments.
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Such a lovely sight these tiny robins !!!!!
Thanks !
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Thank you, thank you for sharing your robin news! I do love reading about them. The video was supper! For the first time I have gotten to watch how quickly the move about. More like our house wrens on this side of the pond.
As for us, we are watching a pair of wood ducks. The female has been going into a box my husband made a few years back. Keeping our fingers crossed that they have a family soon.
Again, thank you for sharing your robin news with us.
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Thank you for sharing this. Infact this happens at my music teacher’s home on regular basis. A bird by name bulbul has made many nests in her house and keeps laying eggs all the time 🙂
It is beautiful to know that birds do trust some of us human beings
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How lovely Julie. We are thinking of installing a cctv nesting box for the blue tits next year, but for this year, they and the robins seem to have gone, although the dunnocks are still sitting and the blackbird has just finished building. Interestingly, there’s been a huge drop in magpies around here. We used to have loads, but I was never seen flapping at them…..( and I’m betting you were in your pj’s?).x
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It’s marvellous to see that. I have swallows nesting in my barn, but the nests are high of course, so I can’t see in. Most years, they have 3 broods, but this year they were a month late arriving so it will be interesting to see how many they manage. A big problem here is jays, there are so many of them and I have chased them out of the barn on several occasions when they were after the baby birds.
Thanks again for all your excellent photos. XX
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How wonderful! We had a robin in our ivy that had three broods one year. Unfortunately a cat got one lot. I’ve also done the magpie watch when we had a blackbird nesting in our garden but the little devils waited until I had gone out before raiding the nest. They may be pretty but they are not nice birds!
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I’m rejoicing with you that they all made it out into the world – no doubt with your help. I think that Daddy Bird was trying to say “thank you” because honestly, wild birds just do not perch themselves on human toes! I’ve never heard of such a thing, but they obviously know a special person when they see one. The meals you provided were much appreciated. So in addition to “BunnyKnitter” you are now also “BirdyBabe”. Robins are so beautiful – just like YOU! Love reading your posts. How are the kiddos doing?
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Thanks for sharing, so sweet. A couple of years ago we had a Robin nesting in the greenhouse using an empty seedtray for it’s nest. They were very trusting and one day I went in and the fledgings were sitting among and on the tomato plants.
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And mine as well!
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This is just FANTASTIC! I hope she has another brood. These days we have to give the more timid members of nature all the help they can get. You better start laying in stocks of ice cream somewhere else, ha ha.
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Oh goodness, a robin on your toe!! I would have passed out with delight, hahahaha. How lovely
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Thank you for sharing your lovely photos and knitting patterns. Your blog is always a pleasure to read 🙂 Happy Springtime xx
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Thank you Julie,I loved the red shoes. We don’t have Robins in New Zealand.It was such a delight to see them. I do have 2 turtle doves that come every morning now.I do enjoy your blog.
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