Tag Archives: robin

Last view of NC before Alaska: Baby Birds

I left NC this morning to head to Alaska. As I left, I took a peek at the 4 baby birds who hatched the day before my departure. I also grabbed a few of the lilies of the valley (my favorite flowers) that bloomed before I left. Two special treats to send me off and help me remember how special home is. On to Alaska!

I won’t be around to document the growth and fledging of these birds. But you can see some photos I took of a previous year’s nestlings (click here for the archive – scroll through for the full set of posts–they are in reverse order)! This nest has been used for the last 4 years to successfully raise 3-4 birds each year.

baby_birds_2015

Baby Robin Update: Days 11 & 12

Amazingly, the baby robins still make no noise in the nest. I am assuming this is so that they do not draw attention to their location. They are really filling up the nest now (and spilling over the edges!).

Day 11: daily morning check of the nest. All four are still there!

Baby Robins Day 11: feathers

Day 11: As the feathers continue to emerge, the down looks more and more out of place!

Baby Robins Day 12: morning nest check. They are sleepyheads!

Baby Robin Day 12: Remember when that eye was just a tiny slit? Only a week ago!

Baby Robin Day 12: head feathers are coming in replacing downy "mohawk"

Baby Robin Day 12: feathers are looking more and more like they will be ready for flight soon.

Baby Robin Update: Days 9 & 10

The highlight of the first weekend in May was Day 9 & 10 of Baby Robin development. The feathers are just amazing as they emerge.

The nest is getting crowded!

Check out that cute head and the feathers starting to emerge. The feathers on the wing look like a ruff around its little neck.

Day 9: It's all about the feathers.

Feathers emerging.

Wing feathers

These look like paintbrushes to me. Day 9 feathers.

Closeup of the Day 9 feather unveiling.

Day 10: all snuggled in, with feathers fluffed out

Day 10: Baby Robin sporting the mohawk look as down is replaced by feathers.

Day 10: closeup of feathers and down.

Baby Robin Update: Days 7, 8

Time flies! But the baby robins aren’t yet. Nevertheless, they are growing and the most amazing thing is the feather development!

Baby Robins, Day 7, early morning. They usually are sleeping until at least 9am.

Day 7, wing development.

Baby Robins, Day 8. Good morning! "Where's breakfast?"

Day 8, headfeathers coming in.

Day 8, feathers up close. See that tiny toe peeking out?

Day 8, another look at the feather development.

Baby Robin Update: Days 5 & 6

Day 6: Early morning

The robins continue to develop and grow. It is remarkable to observe the rate at which they change.

Day 5, Morning


Day 5: Eye slits getting bigger, heads darkening.


Day 5: Feed me!


Day 6: Feathers developing


Day 6: Eye slits widening


Day 6: Lunchtime


Day 6: notice the eye slit starting to open! Gotta love the tufts of fluff on the top of the head.

Baby Robins

We have a nest of robins in the Star Magnolia bush right by our front porch. I’ve been taking some photos (trying not to upset the mom too much). Usually just one per day. Three eggs hatched on Friday, the final egg was hatched on Saturday. On Sunday, you can see that the eye slits are starting to develop. Stay tuned!

The four eggs in the nest. This nest was re-used from last year. The "outer" nest was lined with some new material.

On Friday, April 27, we found that 3 of the eggs had hatched!

On Saturday, April 28th, the fourth (and final) egg hatched! You can see the difference in size. The last to hatch is at "7 o'clock" in the nest.

On day 3, you can see the eye slits developing.

Here you can see the back of the head, the back of the body, fluffy down, and where the feathers will emerge from.