It rained for about an hour or so before I could get out to the crabapple to check the progress of the robin hatchlings. Yesterday there were two unhatched eggs but there was a definite hole in one of them.
There are now 4 hatchlings, although the biggest one looks pretty sluggish—and appears to sport a fair-size blister on its butt.
It’ll be at least a week before they look like anything but a light snack for a crow. They’ll get to that little dinosaur stage a few days beyond that. It’ll take a couple of weeks before they fledge—at least the ones who survive. This would be the first time I’ve been able to get video clips. Last year I got snapshots for a little slideshow.
I was surprised at how close the parents allowed me to get. I could have reached out and touched them.
Sena mentioned seeing small birds flying out of the Colorado Blue Spruce on the other side of the front yard. I looked long and hard before I found anything that resembled a nest. Frankly it looks like something that could have been in use last year.
On the other hand, I also noticed the branches shaking in that tree later in the afternoon. And I recall seeing a chipping sparrow streak out of there, perch on the crabapple and chirp at me—nervously.
I’ll keep you posted.
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