A sad thing....

.....for the Robin family.  After sitting on her eggs for over 17 days, she left the nest.  She came back the next two days to sit for about half an hour each time.

I checked the eggs.  They were cold.  I opened one, then two and then all three.  They looked as fresh as if she had just laid them.  They were not fertile.

It was so sad to see her come back and try and try.  Even Mr. Robin landed on the nest, the 15th day, with a worm in his beak.  I watched him look at the inside of the nest.....first with one eye and then turned his head to look with his other.  He ate the worm and left.  He knew.

The nest is still there waiting for a family.  Maybe, just maybe, we'll still get to see some baby robins in it this year.

How many eggs will Ms. Robin lay this year?

 After the nest was built, Ms. Robin went away until today, March 25th.

The first egg in the nest at 11:14 a.m.  I happened to look out the kitchen window

to see her panting, stand up and lay the egg.

 March 26th after 12 noon.

 March 27th after 1 p.m.

 Ms. Robin.....will there be a 4th egg tomorrow?  

She turned her "back" to me.....leaving me to wonder.

The nest building from start to finish

 March 14

 March 16

 March 17

March 18

There was no work done on the 15th.

So Miss Robin decided to build her nest on the same ladder rung as last year.

I feel honored that she likes the house so much.

Houston..........they left the nest

 05-01 at 1214 hrs

This is the last, in the nest, photo since their eyes are watching me as much as I'm watching them!

 05-02 at 1848 hrs

From the kitchen window.

 05-04 at 1101 hrs

From the dining room window.

 05-05 at 1208 hrs

It's HOT!

 05-07 at 0710 hrs

Who would have thunk they were planning on leaving today!

 05-07 at 1402 hrs

Just before taking a short, yet permanent, flight from home.

05-07 at 1721 hrs

The last one to leave.

NOTE:  Mom and Dad will continue to feed them another 4-6 weeks.

Pictures of the 3 Birdies

 April 27

 April 28

 April 29

April 30

Announcing the birth of two baby birds!!!!!!!!!

 Me checking on the eggs on 04-20 at 1825 hours.

 OMG!  I just KNEW there were babies because Birdie was doing different things....like looking at them!  I I ran out with the camera on 04-22 at 1326 hours when I saw Birdie leave the nest.  

Here we have TWO babies and they already have down!

04-22 at 1714 hours, we have dry fuzz!  Still the two babies.

It's 1728 hours when we see Mrs. AND Mr. Birdie feeding the babies at the same time!

Birdie is sitting....so I can do some things

 Like knitting.....my all time favorite thing to do.

Just look at this 12" wide cowl.  The pattern is called Bar Hopping Cowl by LostCityKnits and the wool is Hard Workin' Worsted in colorway Santa Fe Sky.  This is the nicest wool ever!

 This gorgeous 36"x 60" stole is called Victorian Boucle' Stole and sold by Halcyon.

Quick and easy to knit.

 I also love to sew/quilt.  Here is the March 1800's block-of-the-month.......

and here is April's.

Birdie and her eggs

 On 04-11 at 9:43 in the morning.....she sat (will there be a 4th egg?!)

 04-11 at 3:27 p.m........still sitting.  Why do "I" feel like the expectant parent?

Oh!  She's off the nest!  04-11 at 3:48 p.m.......I counted twice to make sure.  Yup, 3 eggs. 

 Another sneaky picture taking 04-11 at 5:13 p.m...........hmmm, this could be the beginning of....

04-12 at 2:03 p.m.  Oh My Gosh!  This means the official countdown to babies began YESTERDAY!

This is the second day of 12-14 days until they peck their way to birth!! 

04-14 at 10:48 in the morning.  Day 4.

Houston.......We have THREE!!!

 Such a patient Birdie Mom

 Getting sleepy doing nothing but sitting

 Oops!  She caught me being a peeping Maria!  When is she going to leave the nest so I can see?!

 WOO HOO! THREE!!!

*deep sigh of relief........then wondering if we can count on one more.....

PS:  I'm still getting my knitting done but it is not near as interesting as watching the Birdie.

Houston..............we have two....count them....two eggs

 Birdie waiting.....

 .....and waiting with her eyes shut

 .....to lay another egg

My Oh My.....how many more until she sits to hatch them?

This nest is 5 feet from our dining room window and about 6 feet from the ground on a ladder rung under the carport.

I take pictures of Birdie in her nest from the inside of the house but when I see her fly off and out of sight, I run out and have my camera take a peek (and picture) of the inside of the nest.  So far, I'm happy with how the pictures are turning out!

Houston...........We have an egg

 Birdie huffed......

 ....and puffed

.....until she laid a Robins Egg Blue

This little beauty was laid around 11:30 this morning. 

Let the 12-14 day countdown begin!

Here is a website with more details of the American Robin.