Nest Safety

We had a real life drama unfolding outside our windows this week, when a baby robin, which was not quite ready to fly, fell out of the nest and landed on our front lawn.

 We were concerned that he might have been injured, but apparently he wasn’t hurt by the fall, because after a minute or two, he began to walk around the area near the tree.   Before long, he expanded his area of exploration, although he was still on foot.   Although his siblings were still safe in their nest, he wasn’t alone as there were at least ten adult robins pecking at grass seed and scouting for worms.  We wondered if one of them was his mother, but couldn’t really tell.  None seemed particularly concerned that he was out of his nest and unable to fly. We continued to watch him, hoping that he would stay safe and discussing what we should do, if anything.  

Years ago, a friend of mine took in a baby robin, which had fallen from its nest.  It was truly a baby and had no hope of survival on the ground.  Unlike the robins on our lawn, its mother had been frantic, swooping down to the ground from the tall tree and then back up to the nest again.  Eventually, she left and my friend got the baby into a box with a soft towel and took it home.  The baby required feeding so frequently that it made a human infant seem easy in comparison.  At first, she fed it worms, but after doing some research learned about a number of human foods that would also provide adequate nutrition.  When he was old enough to live on his own, she took him to a cabin in the woods and spent a weekend trying to get him to return to nature.  After he sat on the outside of a window calling piteously to her for over four hours, she gave in and took him back home.  He spent the rest of his life with her.  She kept him in a large cage, while she was at work, but let him out as soon as she returned home.  He was totally tame and would perch next to you, when he wanted some attention and loved to snatch potato chip from a serving dish on the coffee table.

Remembering my friend’s experience, we adopted a watch and wait attitude with our little robin.  With three cats, we are hardly ready to take in a robin for life.  It appears that the adult robins were also watching.  Whenever he seemed distressed, they would flock around him and provide food.   After a few unsuccessful flying attempts, he began to make short flights skimming barely a foot above the lawn.  We cheered, when he achieved enough elevation to fly to the top of the shrubs.  Soon, he was flying anywhere he pleased.

Birds are not the only ones, who value the safety of their nests.  Years ago, mortgage burning parties were celebrated as folk paid off their home loans.  I don’t hear much about that today, probably because loan terms have become increasingly long. That day can come sooner, for those who take advantage of Viventium New Zealand Home Loans.   Use YourselectPower Company Comparison to increase your savings on utilities and soon you'll be using Swoon Video Production in Auckland to create a video of your own mortgage-free nest.