About this time last year I made a thread about [url=http://facepunch.com/threads/1091211]robins in my backyard[/url]. Interestingly another pair of Robins has come back this year, in the same exact place they nested last time. I wasn't sure if this belonged in photography or here, but I'm not trying to show off my PRO photography skills or techniques, but just focus on Robins. So I guess this is a better place for showcasing Robins.
I'm not familiar with the way Robins behave, so they might or might not be the same pair that came around last time. The location of the nest was very specific on the patio, something that a random bird would not be able to see scouting around the neighborhood. However, I did not wreck the nest from last year, instead I kept it one piece. So maybe some entrepreneurial male figured he could be lazy and pass off an already built nest as something he threw together to attract a mate. I don't know.
Rule of thumb is generally that Robins take roughly two weeks to hatch their eggs, and another two weeks to raise them to leave the nest. Even after they've left the nest they'll still follow their parents around. While they can fly, they can't do so for long distances so it's mainly meant for traveling short distances, either between rofos or up to higher elevations in a tree or on top a house, powerline, pole, etc.
These are not pro shots, so some of them are blurry. This is typically due to either bad lighting conditions or not holding it steadily. For the most part, it is the latter. I've had to compress them significantly so they wouldn't take up too much space. I've done so to the best of my ability without making it lose noticeable amount of quality.
So they build their nest. This is what I notice one afternoon after coming back from university- male and female hanging around.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KEe0B-FZfDM/T5nKloFx0ZI/AAAAAAAAAF0/uUdEQeWRYOc/s903/IMG_2592.JPG[/img]
And with my ever graceful PRO use of the iPhone camera, I held the phone over the nest to take pictures. I first saw three.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EFbJivYruc8/T5nKeZGFl_I/AAAAAAAAAFY/QFrdiDgvR10/s765/IMG_0107.JPG[/img]
... then five
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HeQqVJcSvkU/T5nKlYkAREI/AAAAAAAAAFw/O3SNAYdHyHQ/s903/IMG_0112.JPG[/img]
It appears that the Robin takes two weeks to hatch the eggs. That's in line with what I observed the previous two times they came around. I knew they were hatching when the parents started doing this more often rather than sitting on it.
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--VAFIIc2-gE/T5nKoSUJV6I/AAAAAAAAAGA/AME0Zb9wwEg/s903/IMG_2681.JPG[/img]
Knowing it was over two weeks by then, I decided to once again use my scientific device to take picture of what's in the nest. I saw a total of four had hatched already, with one still having not come out.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JhkqKHTqc6g/T5nKjfZLHqI/AAAAAAAAAFo/xETWITLrC0E/s903/IMG_0133.JPG[/img]
Even during the storms that came through this part of Texas, they would still hang around. That's why the color is all nasty in the sky.
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-I3rxiZXrMjA/T5nKpfOdtqI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/qTm_k3jXyec/s903/IMG_2608.JPG[/img]
A few days in (I think five or so), the birds grow to the size where I can see their beaks occasionally poke out.
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S1IVVl4Thmk/T5nKoxe_7FI/AAAAAAAAAGI/hSYd9PAkZac/s903/IMG_2687.JPG[/img]
I don't need to mention that Robins are fiercely protective of their young, like anything else is. So I had to be careful when I would take pictures. Otherwise...
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-A_BKGJYK8Zc/T5nKuIH-F9I/AAAAAAAAAGw/SCRZWDqSdKo/s903/IMG_2703.JPG[/img]
Running on the fence? A good work out I guess, but...
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-feqZ7eVEeIQ/T5nKroq-wcI/AAAAAAAAAGg/sx5nnmUrdZM/s903/IMG_2688.JPG[/img]
That picture would have looked so nice had I not freaked out and shook the camera as it tried to dive bomb me. Oh well. Anyways...
The birds about a week in begin to reach their heads out more, so I can see them reach out of their nests to get food.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GJdkSzAZVZ4/T5nKrYrzuGI/AAAAAAAAAGY/ZZ14gzREGqk/s903/IMG_2690.JPG[/img]
And, unfortunately, the parents cleaning up their poop.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jtwefh4pwRw/T5nKssqnpuI/AAAAAAAAAGo/TJ7wzJy6bPE/s903/IMG_2691.JPG[/img]
Over time they get less aggressive, but only slightly. So I could get closer to them to take nicer pictures. This is the male, slightly puffing up thinking he's the bomb.
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P4qy0DOXZt8/T5nKwWhRYdI/AAAAAAAAAHA/W8JfQ2NiFXY/s903/IMG_2705.JPG[/img]
One day some handymen came to the house to do some termite work. They were making a lot of noise with a drill that freaked out the young, so the parent, also not knowing what to do, went to the nest and puffed up to tremendous proportions. As this is the female, I was surprised she could get this large.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u9pfMd3X9T4/T5nKwqizf0I/AAAAAAAAAG4/IWwIsSacVhc/s903/IMG_2708.JPG[/img]
The young continue to get larger. The parents are no longer sitting on them, as they can bother them.
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bW7oiVmVOMU/T5nK0VjFj8I/AAAAAAAAAHg/bG4aCB3ULCY/s903/IMG_2716.JPG[/img]
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6fueWsylrMM/T5nK0qCdJgI/AAAAAAAAAHY/ETovYnXySEk/s903/IMG_2717.JPG[/img]
By this point I was able to walk up to their nest and see them with no problem.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bGvWNSl5D14/T5nK2fXIjiI/AAAAAAAAAHo/_5mQnzzSEMc/s903/IMG_2723.JPG[/img]
I also use my scientific apparatus.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kW7kpolxF8o/T5nKiiVFtVI/AAAAAAAAAFg/KqnltX9zRqc/s903/IMG_0155.JPG[/img]
Notice their eyes are not open completely; they're still getting use to the sensation of sight. They haven't quite reached the point of being aware of their surroundings, through sight at least.
A few days before the two week mark, and you can see they've grown really large. Even the mother is having trouble keeping her balance on the nest with how aggressive they're getting to get more food.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rfqK3CoFdxc/T5nK3_sV-jI/AAAAAAAAAHw/UXPbhWFPxRU/s903/IMG_2731.JPG[/img]
I take the opportunity to use my regular camera to take a picture of them on-level since they're no longer able to hide in the nest. Notice that compared to the last picture, their eyes are wide open. They're getting mature.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hs_jyaXjvFo/T5nK8oo1SBI/AAAAAAAAAIY/h8gEgGTeEmE/s903/IMG_2739.JPG[/img]
One of the rare times you'll see both parents around.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-alcqvlnxfvc/T5nK5HNDFJI/AAAAAAAAAIA/QEv9nfQKX7Q/s903/IMG_2744.JPG[/img]
It's hit the two week mark. The young have gotten large enough that the parents are no longer able to even perch on the nest. They even get pushed off sometimes.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D9q4vtNNXRs/T5nK7qVmFzI/AAAAAAAAAII/2PLs2P9UEu8/s903/IMG_2750.JPG[/img]
... mama is not amused.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X2iMWixEfMg/T5nK74hKsRI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/KVGrhx5acp0/s903/IMG_2748.JPG[/img]
But they get used to it. Notice the size of the young.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r09dJzC-8gY/T5nK-NtlkPI/AAAAAAAAAIg/wU8Z3Z0-3Zk/s903/IMG_2751.JPG[/img]
Now they try out those wings. They do this for awhile.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lMefkiYRTII/T5nK_KftecI/AAAAAAAAAIo/34t7TASs88k/s903/IMG_2759.JPG[/img]
One weekend morning (hitting the two week mark) I count four. One had already jumped nest, and I couldn't find it. Then I see one of them perches on the edge of the nest,
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-497msWVDurA/T5nLBkvwgXI/AAAAAAAAAI0/UQaME94IgAs/s903/IMG_2777.JPG[/img]
and...
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0hDRETRERew/T5nLCbS2nFI/AAAAAAAAAJA/XiGJt9Qs72E/s903/IMG_2778.JPG[/img]
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SrvL1w3qP10/T5nLFq485cI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/m6KKNGbr-q0/s903/IMG_2779.JPG[/img]
...flies right into the fence and ends up in the garden patch. It stays there for awhile before flying off over the fence. During this time the parents are bringing it food along with the ones still at the nest.
Another jumps nest and doesn't clear the fence at first either. It ends up in the grapes.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hRnL8PD8iiQ/T5nLFDE9coI/AAAAAAAAAJI/zMr0ZhYYoFc/s903/IMG_2781.JPG[/img]
Another loser goes in the completely wrong direction and goes against our window.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PDMuSRdn8ac/T5nLHdlMOfI/AAAAAAAAAJY/-3cdab_alDA/s903/IMG_2789.JPG[/img]
It goes over towards this massive white object that we know as a door.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0WotJa8YfSA/T5nLK4ekl_I/AAAAAAAAAJw/A1PgFCPmpV4/s903/IMG_2791.JPG[/img]
No door will stop it of course.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MPv85anW2bw/T5nLKSviQ9I/AAAAAAAAAJo/04GYU4Gsikk/s903/IMG_2792.JPG[/img]
And it keeps failing.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gMPO_INGkYY/T5nLHx9c13I/AAAAAAAAAJg/Fv8gOo41nxY/s903/IMG_2790.JPG[/img]
Eventually the peabrain realizes that the way out is in fact, the sky. So it finally gets near the plants.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GCTAK0A8k7Y/T5nLOvn5G6I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/rinLBQyr4Z8/s903/IMG_2793.JPG[/img]
And it too joins the other two in the backyard. The parents are still feeding the three out of the nest (as well as the one that left early, I presume), and the one in the nest. The first to leave was the one in the grapes, leaving only the previous two. I see the other one still in the garden patch.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g5ZRhWprgL8/T5nLPc2aDvI/AAAAAAAAAKA/n0YrR0ILHJc/s903/IMG_2795.JPG[/img]
But they're all gone eventually too. Only one is left.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Dfpiw8qykmg/T5nLPfdz72I/AAAAAAAAAKE/QOBHur97HRs/s903/IMG_2796.JPG[/img]
And surprisingly, achieves what the previous three could not- clearing the fence on the first go, ending up at the neighbor's garage driveway behind the house.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8l939r3HgtE/T5nLUFSg2TI/AAAAAAAAAKY/Ys1hqlG8zew/s903/IMG_2806.JPG[/img]
Oddly though, when I wake up the next morning, one of them had decided to come back. Here it is on the patio chair. It appeared to be the one who flew into the drive way behind us.
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fDV-216CW_s/T5nLUGp2PnI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/itqyJjW8UWY/s903/IMG_2814.JPG[/img]
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-grGprNCUd8c/T5nLUfzd1qI/AAAAAAAAAKc/Cwgt7BUc9q4/s903/IMG_2820.JPG[/img]
I don't know why it came back, but eventually it's gone too. For a few days afterwards I still could see fledglings around the neighborhood (not just mine, but several others too), along with adult birds. They've spaced out though, but it's still possible to see them. I saw one today while I was walking.
That's that. I'll see if they come back for round three next year.
You should have took the eggs and have them for breakfast.
10/10 thread
but they wouldve made good omlette
Yes, omlette. With the special flavored bird puke it lines the nest with.
[QUOTE=MercZ;35726133]A[/QUOTE]
Smart of you not to feed them. In the long run that would just be bad for them.
[QUOTE=Scientist2;35733268]Smart of you not to feed them. In the long run that would just be bad for them.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, it's not good to interfere with something like that.
The only sort of intervention I did was to prevent the door bird from wasting its time and nudging it to the lawn where it would crack its skull at least.
very nice[img]http://forexjobs.info/g.gif[/img]
I should make a thread about the nest of Blue Tits in my garden.
Facepunch loves tits
[QUOTE=st0rmforce;35741758]I should make a thread about the nest of Blue Tits in my garden.
Facepunch loves tits[/QUOTE]
It'll probably get a ton of views too, users will come from all over at the mention of tits. That's what this thread is missing.
Your lucky they're smart birds, we have had this Sparrow that has been nesting around our house for 2 years. It will spend at least 1 hour a day flying into our window thinking it's own reflection is a rival. We have tried everything to get rid of it, we have even stationed our cat in the window, but he still keeps coming back. By the end of summer his favorite spot on the window is usually covered in feces and feathers.
[QUOTE=Articsledder;35746468]Your lucky they're smart birds, we have had this Sparrow that has been nesting around our house for 2 years. It will spend at least 1 hour a day flying into our window thinking it's own reflection is a rival. We have tried everything to get rid of it, we have even stationed our cat in the window, but he still keeps coming back. By the end of summer his favorite spot on the window is usually covered in feces and feathers.[/QUOTE]
I wish I had recorded a video of the failbird trying to fly up against the door. I'm not sure what the peabrain was doing, but it was in a way amusing to see it fail time and time again but keep trying pointlessly to fly through the door. Schadenfreude for me I guess.
Robins bring one down side and it's that they're extraterritorial. So they'll make these noises for hours on end when they feel like someone's infringing on their turf. It made the patio somewhat of a no man's zone since they'd start making a ruckus and dive bomb people that got into their comfort zone.
I had similar birds make a nest on my garage light. Didn't have a camera at hand.
[QUOTE=Black;35760180]I had similar birds make a nest on my garage light. Didn't have a camera at hand.[/QUOTE]
Do you mean a light in or outside the garage, or the light on the garage motor? I'm going to have to guess the former, because I can't imagine how they would've been able to do that on the motor.
Anyways, the Robins were pretty bothered when ever we turned on the patio light at night to get some things.
The crappy squeal? are you kidding me. This thread was as good as the first
[QUOTE=areolop;35778913]The crappy squeal? are you kidding me. This thread was as good as the first[/QUOTE]
Well, you know, this time with five chicks, there was more crap.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
