http://www.cosmickitty.com/2005/09/24/nest-0905/ Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:28:58 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://www.cosmickitty.com/2005/09/24/nest-0905/comment-page-1/#comment-22 admin Wed, 28 Sep 2005 17:58:45 +0000 http://www.cosmickitty.com/wordpress/2005/09/24/nest-0905/#comment-22 I have formed quite a connection to our backyard robins. I have delighted in their daily rituals — every morning, for example, the prosperous looking father robin would hold court on a wire that stretches across the backyard. Each morning I would look for him out the bathroom window while brushing my teeth and he was there, almost always— so that I would worry if he was not. After one of their young passed away, I was concerned that the robins would give up on us and leave. A neighbor cat pawed at one of the fledglings who was hopping about on the ground, testing his stubby wings. The fledgling was harmed, but not terribly (I thought). He had a spot of blood on his head and his eye was scratched. I consulted with the Audobon Society and was told that the best thing to do was to put him back in his nest and then move away. It is an old wives' tale that birds will avoid their children if they have the scent of people on them. They will, however, stay away as long as a human being hovers around. So, I returned him to the nest. He looked a little wobbly, but seemed intent on perching on the edge. I left him and was torn up worrying about the little fella, forcing myself to stay away. I checked in on him in the morning to find the nest empty. Further searching revealed the fledgling had fallen out of the nest and expired on the ground. I didn't see robins around for a couple of days afterward and was convinced that they no longer felt our home was safe. To my relief, however, they showed up again a few days later with another fledgeling who fared much better. I have formed quite a connection to our backyard robins. I have delighted in their daily rituals — every morning, for example, the prosperous looking father robin would hold court on a wire that stretches across the backyard. Each morning I would look for him out the bathroom window while brushing my teeth and he was there, almost always— so that I would worry if he was not. After one of their young passed away, I was concerned that the robins would give up on us and leave. A neighbor cat pawed at one of the fledglings who was hopping about on the ground, testing his stubby wings. The fledgling was harmed, but not terribly (I thought). He had a spot of blood on his head and his eye was scratched. I consulted with the Audobon Society and was told that the best thing to do was to put him back in his nest and then move away. It is an old wives’ tale that birds will avoid their children if they have the scent of people on them. They will, however, stay away as long as a human being hovers around. So, I returned him to the nest. He looked a little wobbly, but seemed intent on perching on the edge. I left him and was torn up worrying about the little fella, forcing myself to stay away. I checked in on him in the morning to find the nest empty. Further searching revealed the fledgling had fallen out of the nest and expired on the ground. I didn’t see robins around for a couple of days afterward and was convinced that they no longer felt our home was safe. To my relief, however, they showed up again a few days later with another fledgeling who fared much better.

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