New Residents at Sweet Home Chicago

Papa's turn to feed the younguns'

This summer has seen robins set up homes in our pergola and now the back porch, above. It's fun to watch the parents taking care of their young. Working from dawn til dusk they fly in and out every few minutes with food. Both of them are busier than a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs !

The babies are about 2 weeks old in the photo above and will be ready to fly the coop any day now. I have never seen anything grow so fast but I guess if I ate every few minutes I'd be bigger than the side of the house as well.

The Robins didn't seem to mind our goings and comings although they kept a watchful eye on us They sure came to the right place - there's plenty of bugs for food and water in the bird bath.

Did You Know that Robins can Read ?

The wreath is fake but the Robin and its nest are real.




This is just too funny and cute for words. My neighbor Ceci has a wreath on her front porch and this Robin apparently read the "Welcome Friends " sign.

She made herself at home and laid three beautiful blue eggs.

After having a Robin and her young brood make themselves at home in my pergola I'm convinced that these birds are social creatures unafraid of humans.

EMPTY NESTERS

The last Robin is reluctant to leave home

Just two short weeks ago the 3 robin eggs hatched and we watched Mother Robin work from dawn to dusk to feed her babies every few minutes.

It's amazing how quickly they grow but I guess that's what happens when you eat every 5 or 10 minutes.

Yesterday we watched as the first two brave ones flew off on their own. The last one was not so eager to leave home and it took a lot of coaxing from Mom to get it to fly away.

As empty nesters we know the feeling of raising our young and have them leave one by one. It is both joy and sorrow.