Second Nest
First egg - 06-14-26
As Dad continued to feed mealworms to the fledgling, Mom laid three eggs, each a day apart starting on 06-14-26. She would sometimes come down to get mealworms from me. At one point the father came and got a beak full of mealworms but then didn’t quite know what to do with them. Apparently the fledgling was now on his own so he took them to the new nest to feed Mom. She had just eaten so wasn’t interested. He finally ate them himself. He wasn’t going to eat until he knew his family was good.
I have noticed an increase in the number of Fish Crows in my neighborhood this summer. They are nesting and eating a lot of the songbird eggs and young. We noticed a particular tree in the back that was apparently used for eating. Under the tree were at least eight eggs (in parts) and pieces of chicks. I installed this baffle above the robin nest. I did this for some protection - it provides some shade, some protection during a rain and is somewhat hiding it. Obviously it doesn’t provide full protection so things can still happen.
Dad watching over the nest when Mom leaves to find food.
Some observations -
If the female leaves the nest the male will occasionally go to the nest to guard it. He will perch on the side and at times lean over the eggs to hide them. I observed him actually laying on the eggs once. While on the eggs he vocalized a very soft high pitch call. I haven’t heard that since.
They continue to pair-bond - the male will occasionally come to the nest while she is on the eggs, he will feed her. She will preen his breast feathers.
I throw the mealworms a couple of feet away from me when I am feeding them. The female will come get the worm, then run back a bit. The male on the other hand will come get the worm and often stay closer as I throw out more.
