The arrival of Erithacus rubecola to the garden sign that spring is near .
We saw the first robin redbreast of the season today , hop around on the front lawn . There were two chubby ones with beautiful orange bellies pulling worm out of the soil . I could n’t help but wonder if they were a mating twain await to construct a home somewhere at our place . How play it would be to determine a family of fledgeling grow up properly outside our living room window !
I pulled the car right up to the American robin that was hanging out in the garden above our drive ’s retaining rampart . I was very surprised that it did n’t fly away . It just looked at us , and we looked at it from a mere 3 feet away . It was exciting for my son , and I enjoyed explaining to him that when the robins arrive it ordinarily signify that fountain is n’t too far behind . He ensure me that March 21 was n’t far off and that on that day , there would be sunshine and it would be 70 degrees . set out ta eff the optimism of a 5 - yr - sometime .
This Christmas , Santa Claus brought my boy a nest box seat that has a decipherable acid of charge plate on the back and attaches to a window with suction cups . The estimation is to put it on the window with the extra piece of Natalie Wood it comes with to block off the clear area . Then once the egg are laid , you remove the piece of wood and can watch the babies grow right before your eyes . I guess I need to put it out sooner rather then after — the birds are really singing lately , especially in the good morning . I ’m guessing they ’re beginning to feel amorous and are getting ready to build their nest .
I used to have a horticulture client who would put nesting material out for the birds each leaping . She would save Canis familiaris hairsbreadth , piece of yarn , string , lint , ribbon and the comparable and pack them into wire suet cake bearer and hang them in the trees . The birds would empty them within a day or two , and she would religiously refill them as they emptied .
I always wondered where she kept all the nest - stimulate ingredients she call for throughout the winter . I visualise a plastic bag cling in her laundry room spill over with “ the trade good , ” and I wondered what her excessively neat , applied scientist - type husband thought of the bag . Unfortunately , this marvellous woman is now suffering from dementedness . I think of her often , though I have n’t seen her in six long time , and wonder if her husband has taken over the nest collection pocketbook or if the birds have been left to resist for themselves . I hope it ’s the former , for both the birds ’ sake and hers .
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