Tuesday, April 19, 2011

If it were up to this bird ...

... his kind would become extinct. Why?
For days now, I've been watching him trying to built a nest under our deck. First day I saw him, he was trying out positions on the beam, under the deck boards, if it's nest building worthy, I thought.

April 12-North American Robin

It's a North American Robin by the way.

April 12-North American Robin

He's hilarious! I've been watching him bringing the best nest building material, he's no slacker, really trying hard, but he can't seem to remember which space between the upright boards he's started the nest building. So there are now 9 places he brings twigs, grass, birch barks to, more than half of it is coming down, whenever he's trying to distribute it over the available space.

April 12-North American Robin

I also feel sorry for him, so much effort for naught! Besides, if it rains, the water comes down on him through the cracks. The wind over the last few days, has blown away all the veggie matter he brought there. So far, for a weeks worth of work, he's got nothing to show for, but he's not giving up yet.

***
Maggie's in recovery. Surgery went well. She surprised us this morning. She's painfully shy with strangers, but she played it cool at the Vet's office, which was a relieve for us. She weighs 21.7kg at six month, most of it pure muscle. She gets 4 cups of food each day, but she needs all that energy, because playing rough with two boys is hard work.
So tomorrow around noon, we'll get to pick her up. An e-collar also known as cone was on the invoice, and I think she' ll need it.

Today the boys and I will enjoy being outside. Everything seems calmer when she's not around. She's such a busy body, and always in motion, always yapping, like a squirrel. We DO miss her already!

***

9 comments:

Michelle said...

Maybe you should build him a little nest out of scrap yarn and fiber to get him started? Poor guy. Glad Maggie is doing well! They really can surprise us sometimes with their adaptability.

Ann said...

Oh, it's almost unbearable!
But maybe his a teenager, just practising. If so, he's learning by doing, don't you think?
I hope so.

Susan said...

I'm glad to hear that Maggie is doing well! Robins are smart birds. I wonder if that one knows something we don't. I heard a peregrine falcon screaming outside yesterday. I hope our local robins are smart enough to build nests where the falcon can't swoop down and invade. Under the deck would do it.

Freyalyn said...

Do your robins build several nests for a female to choose from? British robins have been known to. So glad the little one's come through her surgery safely, but keep an eye on her stitches. My first GSD proved to be allergic to the leave-in, internal stitches, and had to be opened up again and all the stitches replaced. All fine after that, though.

Walden said...

Poor bird, maybe it's just that he's really indecisive and cannot find the perfect spot for the nest.

Glad Maggie is doing well!

lookinout said...

My new chow will have surgery before the long weekend in May. I wonder how he'll do with the e-collar. All the best to Maggie in her recovery.
Your bird photos are quite something. I would not have known what the bird was. Thanks for the ID.
Gillian

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Poor birdie!
Rocky has taken to screaming at every Robin that lands on my front lawn. There's a lot of cat-screaming going on here!

2paw said...

Poor little Robin.
I am glad to hear Maggie is well and recovering fast!! I bet The Boys miss her! Oh no, I hope she likes wearing her cone, Gilly loved wearing hers!!

Laurie said...

This robin must be the cousin of the crazy cardinal who used to attack his reflection in the windshield of my car...doh...

Glad Maggie's surgery went well!