Post by Deleted on May 3, 2020 20:02:46 GMT
Been watching the Robins most of the day. I find them fascinating. I have noticed other the last fortnight that at times their Autumn and Winter territorial instincts are never far from the surface as I witness the female suddenly chasing her mate out of the garden!!!
Then they could not be more of a couple as they enter the watering can together and he diligently passes the mealworm to her.
The best bit has been this last two evenings as dusk settles in. All the Sparrows, Tits, Dunnocks and Starlings have gone to bed and I put out a small bowl of mealies just for them. After 10 or so minutes of frenzied feeding by both adults, the week old chicks are satiated and unresponsive. The adults leave and enter a few times with a mealworm then give up.
They then both sit in our tallest tree ( only a scrawny 10 year old cherry blossom of 15 feet that has survived the moorland winds) together for about 20 mins as it goes dark quite near each other in contentment.
Eventually Mrs Robin goes to warm her brood overnight before a 4:30am start before any other garden bird is about and the bowl of mealies is still there for them.
It is a pity that the brood is only 3 as I am sure they could easily have raised 7 given the good weather and food supply. I am hoping she chooses another place in our garden for her second or third nesting attempt this summer, I am leaving my shed door open and have made robin friendly gaps between stuff on my shelves.
Love these birds!!!!
Then they could not be more of a couple as they enter the watering can together and he diligently passes the mealworm to her.
The best bit has been this last two evenings as dusk settles in. All the Sparrows, Tits, Dunnocks and Starlings have gone to bed and I put out a small bowl of mealies just for them. After 10 or so minutes of frenzied feeding by both adults, the week old chicks are satiated and unresponsive. The adults leave and enter a few times with a mealworm then give up.
They then both sit in our tallest tree ( only a scrawny 10 year old cherry blossom of 15 feet that has survived the moorland winds) together for about 20 mins as it goes dark quite near each other in contentment.
Eventually Mrs Robin goes to warm her brood overnight before a 4:30am start before any other garden bird is about and the bowl of mealies is still there for them.
It is a pity that the brood is only 3 as I am sure they could easily have raised 7 given the good weather and food supply. I am hoping she chooses another place in our garden for her second or third nesting attempt this summer, I am leaving my shed door open and have made robin friendly gaps between stuff on my shelves.
Love these birds!!!!