The Robins - empty nest today

My daughter Nichole at work with her new business - porta potties. She and Ned are now the proud owners of 350 porta potties. This is her in action. They are already finding out it is a lot of work. I keep reminding her if they weren't busy they would be in big trouble.

Last baby bird to leave the nest. I don't think he wanted to go. Maybe the mother pushed him. I didn't get to see how he left.

Latest and final update on my robins nest. About two weeks ago, I noticed broken blue egg shells around on my porch and I feared something had gotten into the nest and ate the eggs. I watched the mother and father come and go from the nest with mouths filled with worms so I de cided there must be baby birds in the bottom. I watched for a couple of days as the two birds were busy coming and going always with worms. I then left for about 10 days and upon return, wa la, I find five baby birds waiting with mouths open for their next feeding of worms. Wow, they had grown fast and the nest was filled, as you can see from above. I have enjoyed watching them for the past five days grow and eventually stand, spread their wings, and peek out over the edge. They were not a bit afraid of me when I would go out and get a closer look at them but the mother bird would go crazy. Iam surprised she didn't attack me. She always seemed close by and very vocal about me getting close to her babies.

Yesterday, one by one they began leaving the nest. I don't know if they left by choice, as I never got to see them actually jump or if they just got pushed out by one of the other birdies. It was real crowded in that little nest. Today, upon examining first thing in the morning, there were only two babies left and I had a hard time leaving my window from where I have watched them from the beginning. They would peek over the edge, look around, and wonder if they should really go or stay in the security of the nest. As I returned to the window, the second to last birdie had left the nest but wasn't happy and was trying to get back up. He couldn't fly yet and was trying to climb up the boards on my porch. He just wasn't successful and finally fell to the ground and wandered off never to be seen again. That left the last little birdie and he seemed totally lost and confused as to what he should do. There was no one there to push him out and the mommy birdie kept coming back feeding him. I watched as much as I could, fascinated, most of the day as he kept creeping to the edge, looking down, then going back to the comfort of the nest waiting for the next worm to arrive. The mom was faithful to keep feeding him and about 4 p.m. as I return to the window, he had left the nest and was walking around on the porch. For a while, he just sat, I'm sure not knowing what to do and waiting for the mommy to bring worms, but she never did and my heart went out to him. I wanted to go put him back in the nest, but realized this is the cycle of life and they all have to leave the nest sooner or later.

Once the nest was empty, I saw the mom and dad or the babies no more. I felt like they had deserted me and left me with nothing to entertain myself with. How dare they!! But, it is just like real life. After working so hard for your little babies, they eventually leave the nest and you must find a new life. I just wonder if the little mommie robin gets to hang around her children and watch and enjoy the next generation. We'll see if any of them return next year to their home to have their own little family. I will miss watching them daily but will not miss the mess they left. Birds sure do poop a lot.