Last spring, the cape robins built their nest in my wreath I made for my front door.
This spring they returned and two babies are growing rapidly. Here are pictures to show you how they have filled the nest with hardly any room for mum.
Spring/summer is such an exciting time in the garden, the birds are really busy.
The sequel to our robin story is the bulbuls nesting. Right outside our front door, we have two Australian myrtle topiaries and in the centre of one of these a pair of bulbuls decided to make their nest. Their nest is a very exposed one, unlike the robin's hidden deep inside the watering can, and we wondered how well it would stand up to the summer elements of strong wind and fierce storms.
Well we needn't have worried for soon there was "the chick", well fed and ready to take its first flight. The parents hung around all morning, issuing warning calls when our dogs walked too closely past the topiary. The little chick, flapped its wings and stretched while surveying its new world from the safety of the nest and then it was ready for its first flight. I didn't think something like this would give so much pleasure to watch, it is wonderful!
The parents came back and forth for a few days for more tasty cheese bits and then one day brought along the fledgling. It didn't take him/her long to catch on to where this tasty morsel came from and now as well as robins sitting on our window sill we have three bulbuls, mother, father and baby. Oh and never mind the many weavers that try to get a bite too.
Must just add the robins are very tame and virtually eat out of one's hand, the bulbuls are a little more hesitant and wait for us to withdraw to a safe distance, but all, robins, bulbuls and weavers respond to our special whistle.
A while ago i posted about our robins in the garden, how they come to the window to get their cheese, especially when nesting.
Well here is the continuation of this particular story.
One of the robin pairs made their nest in a galvanized wateringcan hanging up as a decor on the outside of my cabin shoppe. We were thrilled that they trusted us enough to make their nest in such close proximity. Everyday we watched as the parents built that nest and when we saw food being carried into it, we knew there were babies. One day without disturbing them, hubby and I held up a mirrow and saw two little mouths open wide We were happy!!. Being a galvanized watering can and in full morning sun, we were worried the tin would heat up too much, so every morning, hubby wet a cloth and hung it over the back of the can.
we felt so priviledged to be able to watch this whole process and were amazed how clean these birds are, with father and mother carrying out any mess the baby robins had made.
Then one morning we knew something had happened overnight, for the male robin was making a wailing sound, a kind of crying chirp. It went on for quite a while and eventually he stopped and flew off. So out came the mirrow and yes, only one baby left and no mother. We wondered if father would cope as a single parent, but we need not have done so, for he was marvelous, in and out all day feeding his one baby left, cleaning out the nest just as we had seen before.
well after that hubby and I couldn't sleep well, listening for all kinds of sounds of any danger to our robins., of course we knew nature would take it course but well we couldn't help worrying.
In due course all seemed safe, and one day hubby went to place the damp cloth over the watering can and next thing this little furry thing fluttered pass his ear and into the nearby bush. Baby had taken his first flight. We were thrilled!!
We were also worried, would it be able to get back into the nest, what happens now??
Well soon father came along with a fat worm in his beak, took it into the nest, popped out again, still with worm in beak and looked around till he spied our little furry friend, all puffed out on a low branch. Next father flew to the baby and with gentle noises and still worm in beak, coaxed the baby up the garden path, across the driveway, into the carport and out through the back into thicket on the other side of the garden. It was amazing to watch and follow this progress and we felt so priviledge once more. Well since then we have seen the two, hopping around the thicket looking for worms. Father still comes to the window for cheese and we are just waiting now to see if he brings baby along.
In the pictures above you can see the wateringcan with cloth and a close up. From the outside it looked a little messy but inside the nest was beautifully built and quite deep.
Every day, a couple of times a day, the little Cape Robins come knocking at our kitchen window for their "cheese". This has being going on now for a number of years, mother and father robins have come along, bringing their new fledglings to show them the ropes, and they inturn have brought their young ones. They now answer to our whistle,and in minutes are at the window and if we are late in calling them ,they soon let us know. Its a particually busy time in winter with one family of robins after the other calling for fuel food. I have tried to take pictures but none have been sucessful yet so thought I would share with you a beautiful antique card from my collection.
