Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Birds



Robin nest
The nest on top of deck TV
A few years back, while we took our very crazy vacation for the first time, when we came back home a nice surprise was waiting for us. A pair of morning doves has made their nest on top of the TV that's just under the roof on the deck, in the backyard (I am married to a 100% male specimen: TVs are the next most important things in our house after beer and red meat - when one does the BBQ, one needs to be able to watch CNN, otherwise the world might take the wrong turn!).

We watched mesmerized the appearance of the little baby - just one. And not a whole week after - we saw them fly away, but they stayed in the cedars that create our live fence in the backyard. Not a whole month after - the doves (parents) were back! I didn't know they grow more than one generation a year! In fact, that year, because it was very warm all the way to October - we had 3 baby doves.

Robin nest
The nest in the evergreen in front of my window
The next year - I wasn't sure what to expect, I had no clue if they'll come back or not - and they did! Year after year. A few years later were accompanied by a pair of Robins, who decided to nest in the evergreen bush in front of the window at our dinner table (aka 'my office') so I could watch the babies coming out and grow minute by minute. Our son was simply mesmerized (as I was too) by the sheer speed these little beings grow: now they are still inside the egg, now they are out, all wet and quite ugly, 3 minutes later they are the most fluffy and cute little things (with a huge voice), and in just a few days they were ready to fly away. Sigh!

Robin nest - with one small baby in!
The nest in the evergreen in front of my window
Year after year we were home to our doves - every spring they will come, sing to each other, then diligently bring straw by straw and create their little home. Until 2010, when a robin came first and took 'posession' of their nest... they made theirs inside... and when the dove came there was a short fight, but the doves didn't win. I wasn't sure what to do - I remember being torn at the idea of letting the nature take its course vs helping my little pearly friends, the doves. I decided to let nature be... but it broke my heart, for a few days the doves came and sang and stood on the fence watching the robins build the nest that was the dove's first...

Robin nest - the babies
The nest in the evergreen in front of my window
To make it even harder - shortly after the robin laid her eggs - a craw flew in, apparently the robin's nest was smaller than the dove's and the craw had enough space to just dive in, steal the eggs and fly out in a blink. The robins left (probably heart-broken too!) and I had a 'in hind-sight' moment - would I have known how would all end up, I would have just helped the doves.

The next year - no sign of the doves (we're still waiting for them, or other pair, to come back), and no robins either. Now my sadness knew no limits - and I still had sorrows for not helping the doves (yeah, I am crazy enough I can loose sleep over such a thing!)

Child with baby robins - a unique opportunity
The nest in the evergreen in front of my window
But this year - no, the doves aren't back - the robins decided to try another place, right under the roof... and right next to the security camera! We have our own Animal Planet live in our living room :) And we learn something new about the robin's life every day!

It is such a pleasure to have at least one of them back (of course I have no clue if it's the same robin or not, of the doves - I was sure it's the exact same one) and I can only hope a pair of dove will find their way to our house too!

Child with baby robins - a unique opportunity
The nest in the evergreen in front of my window

1 comment:

  1. Foarte frumoase experienţe, mai puţin partea tristă.
    Din păcate şi din fericire ştiu ce înseamnă amândouă, acum câţiva ani am avut parte şi noi de ambele, cu nişte vrăbii. Povestea e mai lungă şi nu pot s-o expun aici. Oricum, am retrăit amândouă fazele, dar , din nefericire, la noi nu mai au cum sa-şi facă cuiburi păsările ( încă mă tem să pun o căsuţă pentru păsări , pentru că orice loc mi se pare vulnerabil.)

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