A Nest on My Porch

Journal date April 15

Grandma gave me this cool nature notebook for my birthday. I'm going to write about all the animals I see.

This morning a robin with grass in its beak flew to a post on our front porch. Another robin sang in the maple tree. I watched through binoculars from the living room window. Last year a pair of robins raised a family on our porch. Maybe these robins will too!

Journal date April 20

Yay! The robins built a nest! They worked all week, carrying twigs, grass, and mud. Mom says the robin with a black head and a dark, rusty red breast is the papa. Mama Robin's head is gray, and her feathers are not as brightly colored. She's harder to spot. I hope that will keep squirrels and other egg eaters from following her to the nest.

Mama Robin did most of the building. She shaped the nest into a little cup by pressing her chest inside it. Her feathers got so muddy! Then she added a soft blanket of grass inside.

Journal date April 25

I can peek right into the robin nest from the upstairs window. Mama Robin laid her first egg four days ago. Now that four blue eggs fill the nest, she sits there most of the day to keep them warm. I saw Papa Robin bring her a worm to eat! If anyone comes too close to the nest, the robins swoop overhead and yell tuk, tuk, tuk.

Journal date May 10

Mama and Papa Robin are busy, busy, busy! Two babies hatched five days ago, and two more the next day. The four hungry nestlings open their beaks wide all day, begging for food. At first Mama Robin stayed and kept the babies warm while Papa looked for food. But now that the nestlings have some feathers, both parents fly back and forth, bringing worms and grubs. Two of the nestlings opened their eyes today!

Journal date May 15

The nest is getting crowded. The baby robins squirm and stretch and flap their little wings. Their bodies are covered with feathers. Their beaks are usually open, peeping and begging for food.

But yesterday a cat snuck into the bushes and stared up at the nest. Mama and Papa Robin chattered teek, teek, teek and flew at the cat until it slunk away. While the parents squawked, the babies stayed still and silent in the nest.

Journal date May 17

Two of the babies left the nest today. Mom says that's called fledging. I spotted the fledglings hopping under the bushes. Papa Robin followed, feeding them when they opened their beaks. Two babies are still peeping in the nest. Mama Robin brings their meals.

Journal date May 19

The last robin fledged! It stood on the edge of the nest, flapped its wings, then tumbled down to land in a potted plant. It peeped for Mama Robin, and after a snack, it hopped and fluttered and even flew a little, but it's still kind of wobbly. I'll miss my robin family. I hope Mama Robin lays more eggs soon!