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Valentina Kaquatosh
Stevens Point, WI, United States
My Robin neighbors’ young are quickly developing feathers. Last week they still looked like the baby from the movie “Eraserhead” but now they resemble their parents, showing more personality, curiosity, and ever more verve. It must be itchy to grow into your feathers because they are constantly picking at themselves and each other (either that or they have mites — ouch). Mom (nicknamed “Serene”) and Dad (“Serenade”) show signs of weariness as they continue to strive to meet the demands of this maturing brood.
The biggest, and perhaps the first hatched, is on the far left. I have predicted it is a “he” because each time he has stretched out his neck, he displays the brightest breast and wing feathers. He will most likely jump out of the nest first. I also thought he would be the greediest when it came to food, but from what I’ve observed, the parents go back and forth dividing food in turns. They really pay attention to details.
As they get a little bigger, you’ll want to be careful of walking near the nest, as they might jump out prematurely. If I recall correctly, this nest is on an AC unit, so hopefully you can still get photos from a distance in that location. Once they are 2-3 days from fledging (leaving the nest), all baby birds need space to avoid being frightened out of the nest a few days early. But I also seem to remember you saying you were using a telephoto lens, so you are probably already giving them space. Your passion for these birds is evident in your photos and stories, and it sounds like you’re learning a lot by observing them, so thanks for sharing their journey with us.