Welcome, Red Robin
Each spring, my neighbour and I lean over our shared fence and discuss the whereabouts of the robins. When my husband and I first bought our home, robins used to nest on a ledge under the covered deck, but they vanished some years back. Their departure coincided with the construction of a large crows’ nest across the backlane. The tree that housed the nest was trimmed recently, and the nest is now gone. The crows have settled further away.
What a delight it is this year to see two pairs of robins trekking back and forth across our yards. One pair is nesting on a small ledge, about 8-inches square, that is mounted against the side of the house to the east side of my place, under the eaves. The location is dry and protected. The nest of the other pair is undoubtedly nearby, but we haven’t yet determined its location.
The robins, though territorial, do not seem to hurt one another. If the males get too close to each other, they fly at each other in combat, but after a brief flurry of wings, they land safely on the lawn and continue their hunt for food. The females seem to avoid the conflicts. They go about their business looking for insects and worms in the lawn, and venture now and then onto the open soil of the perennial and vegetable gardens alongside the south fence.
I often lean against my window in the morning until I spot them. When I come outside to work in the garden, though they still keep a safe distance away, the robins tolerate my movements near to them. For my part, when the work is done, I sink into one of my deck chairs and sit quietly for awhile and watch them. I’m grateful to welcome the robins home to my yard once again.
Photos & text: NK
Copyright: cookiebuxton.com
