Baby robins, growing fast

It started on June 25th. Go back to the prior posting to see what I captured on that day. Since then I have captured more photographs of the babies in the nest and I am amazed at how fast they are growing. But before we share with you their current status, I will report that on the 26th I went to the nest where the older babies were to see if they were acting like they wanted to leave the nest. The next was empty and they were gone. So I spent the next hour looking at all of the places they could have fallen and perhaps not made the trip. No sights of babies. Since then I have seen at least one if not both of them. I can tell by their fact that they do not fly like the adults. And now to the new babies.

The first photograph you saw was the beaks peeking above the nest. Not so in this photograph. I captured 4 of them (there are 5 in the nest). They were waiting for mom to return with some food. I was a couple days later that I got a picture of mom at feeding time with the babies. Compare the images of the babies in these 2 photos and see how much they have developed.

 If you think they are developing or perhaps maturing (i.e.: each day), look what's next. Best case I can only see two or three when I look at the nest. The only time I can see more is when an adult is visiting the nest with food. The reason I say adult is because, I just noticed an adult leaving and another adult arriving with more food. I'm guessing it's mom and pop who are sharing the feeding duties. Just like you saw the black bird in the prior post, the adult robins are bringing grasshoppers to the nest.

 Now here is the surprise. The picture below was taken on July 1st and they are already big enough to get outside the nest. Yes, from the little beaks to the fully feathered ready to fly in only 1 week. I have been to the nest several times today, July 2nd, and they are still all in the next, but based on the experience with the other nest, they will soon be gone.

Stay tuned as I will have at least one more update on their status and anything else I can learn about the maturing of baby robins.

Young Robins at the Circle B Bar T

If you have been watching the blog, you are aware that there are robin's on the Circle B Bar T. To date you have observed mature birds as they are found around the ranch and in our trees. There have always been nests, eggs, and babies around the house, but I have never taken the time to capture them before they flew away. That changed when I observed two nests. One which was a pair of young ones who will be flying away very soon.

Here they are, sitting in their nest. The grown ups are still responsible for their food but you can tell by their size, it will not be long before they test their wings.

 This is the same two, they are not as relaxed as in the prior photo. I'm not sure if they are testing their voice boxes, telling the adults that it's time for more food or maybe a stretch just before they take off. It's 25 feet to the ground, so they must be strong before they make their first flight.

I was sitting in the family room, watching television, when I saw a nest under the deck. As I watched there were 4 heads popping up, mouths open and perhaps calling for food. As I watched, an adult would arrive and feed them and fly away. Initially, I thought the adult was the same robin, but when one departed and another arrived, I was able to determine it was pair who where minding the nest. I did want to spook the adults so I used my zoom lens from afar to capture the above image.

 When the adults were away from the nest, I got closer and got these 2, peering out of the next in hopes that they could see more food on the way. You ask, what were they being fed? I'm not sure - - - - but sometimes it was a mouth full and other times it appears like it might have been just enough for one mouth. As I was doing the photography, I was able to find this blackbird, perched on a fence post with something in it's mouth.

 A close observation indicated it was a grasshopper. I have not seen enough blackbirds to control the grasshopper population, but I'm sure whoever is being fed these morsels, they will not starve. Hopefully
I can keep you updated with the maturity of these young robins.