Here is today’s adventure in the new life of the tiny robins that have come to live in my tree.  My biggest battle this evening while taking their picture was the mosquitoes!  They are out in force tonight.  The birds need to get busy and eat these pests and do us all a favor!  It’s times like these that I’m all for that whole “circle of life” thing.  I can think of no better purpose for mosquitoes than to feed the birds!

Tonight, I witnessed both mom and dad working tag-team to feed the youngsters.  One would land and feed while the other would take off to hung more food.  Then they would swap places.  This was going on all evening. They are certainly putting away the grubs and worms.

The call goes out!  Mom!  Dad!  We’re hungry!

As quick as they can, then hunt and return.  It is a steady stream of food for these young ones.

The little critters just don’t seem to fill up!  I can see why they grow up so quickly.  They take about 2 weeks to grow enough to leave the nest and take to the skies!

Not exactly sure what they are feeding this one, but it looks like either a snail or a slug.  Whatever it is, the babies are devouring them.

I didn’t take too many picture tonight because 1) those darn mosquitoes, and 2) I started getting the feeling I was bothering the parents.  I would hate to have them abandon the nest because of me.  As Moose Peterson says, “No photo is worth endangering your subject.”  Well said Moose.  Thanks for those wise words.

More shots as they grow!

Things move pretty quick around here.  First it was the bunnies, and now this.  After discovering the robin’s nest in our tree, I decided to keep an eye on it and see what develops (photography pun).    Sure enough, when I got home today, the momma robin was on the nest making some very strange faces.  Since I’m not a biologist, nor am I an avid birder, I could only guess what was going on.  My thought, the egg(s) are hatching!!

Knowing that I had a Bible Study to attend tonight, I thought it a good opportunity to try out my new timer control.  I set up my flash and the camera to take a picture every 15 seconds while I was gone.  I even made sure that there was an empty CF card in the camera to hold all the shots.  I could go to the Bible Study knowing that Canon was keeping an eye on the nest for me.

When I got home, I ran outside to see if momma was still on the nest, she wasn’t.  Still unable to see anything in the nest because I’m just not tall enough, I keep thinking I hear little chirps. Mom is no where to be found so I get as close as I can to the tree without disturbing anything, but I still cannot see inside the nest.

I anxiously brought everything in the house and began looking through the pictures.  It is then that I realized I should have also made sure there were fresh batteries in the flash because it stopped lighting the nest after about 15 minutes.  Still though, the pictures have enough light that I see the first sign that there are really is life in the nest.  A picture of Mom, with what looks like a worm in her mouth, perched to feed someone!

At this point, I don’t even care that the pictures aren’t perfect.  I just want to see what’s next.  I keep going and finally, on the very last picture that was taken, I see proof positive that there is at lest one baby in the nest!  Very slow shutter speed, and it was on a timer, but I have proof!  The evening has been a success!

Now I know that it will only be a matter of time (a couple of weeks probably) before the little one will break our hearts and fly away to live it’s own life.  I guess that is actually the best I can hope for.  Until then, I’ll do my best to provide a safe environment for the little guy (or gal) to grow up and learn to spread his wings and fly!  God put them in my yard, I’ll be a good steward.