Meet the Robin Family

We had a robin couple build a nest on one of the pillars on our porch.  As a family we have watched them as they have kept a close watch over their little brood.  The kids have taken to calling the birds "Mother Bird" and "Father Bird."  Even when the parents weren't in the nest we could look in the yard and one or both of them would be easy to spot.  They haven't gone far from their nest in weeks.  

The nest is very high, so for awhile we didn't know how many eggs were inside.  I pulled a chair out onto the porch and stood on my tip toes.  With my camera raised high above my head, I snapped a picture.  When I looked in the view finder to see what the camera had captured, I was surprised and thrilled to see four tiny blue eggs!  

              

Soon, we noticed a change in Mother Bird's behavior.  As protective as she had been previously, she became even more so.  Even when we were out on the porch she stayed put. 

At the first opportunity, when she left the nest briefly, I dragged the chair out again for another picture.  The eggs had hatched!  Four little pink lumps were lying helplessly in the bottom of the nest.  These pictures were taken the day the eggs hatched.

This is day two.

Here they are, four days old.  We were amazed that they were already getting bigger and growing more feathers. 

Day six.  When Mother Bird sits on the nest now you can still see the chicks' beaks sticking out around the top of the nest. 

One week after they hatched.  It is incredible to see how much they have changed in just seven days.  They have feathers where before they were bare.  Their eyes are starting to open slightly, and 7 days ago they just filled the bottom of of the nest, now the nest can barely hold them all.  Mother Bird's behavior has changed again; she is always gone looking for food, even Father Bird has gotten in on the feeding schedule.  

We are heading out of town for a few days, maybe I'll have some more pictures to post of the Robin Family when we get back.  I've read that the babies will fly the nest about 2 weeks after hatching. I'm excited to see how much they change while we are gone!