so, we had a lovely little robin build a nest on our back porch when we were gone for the weekend. so for the last month or so we've been watching the babies as they come along.
here's the eggs in the nest... it took several weeks before they hatched.
Here's the proud and protective momma sitting on her nest. we tried to stay away, but couldn't resist a few pictures.
Here's those babies right after hatching, if they hadn't been breathing i'd have thought they were dead.
When they feathered out they got much prettier altho one had definitely lighter feathers, and was quite a lot smaller and weaker.
so, here's the day they left the nest. 
by the time i noticed all but the smallest weakest one was gone.
by the time i noticed all but the smallest weakest one was gone. 
she (i call her she because she looks like a she to me) hung around almost all day before the mom convinced her to fly away. even then she came back in the evening and hung out on the porch for several hours. the funny thing--she is apparently a partial-albino robin. she's very pale tan rather than the dark brown of the other two and the mom, and her breast rather than bright red, is sort of strawberry blonde. i think she's a blond robin. hope everything goes well, and i'm glad to have my porch back.
