Monday, May 20, 2013

Monday Evening...

Hi, Everyone...
 
I started taking pictures for this post much earlier this evening,
 
then started watching the news of the devastating Oklahoma tornados...
 
Prayers for all those who lost loved ones...their homes...so sad.
 
Beyond words.
 
 
Since I'm here, though, I will catch you up on the babies...
 
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This was last Friday evening, the thirteenth day...

One egg still had not hatched, but was cracked,

and a tiny bit of the little bird's "egg tooth" was visible...

It was impossible to tell if the tiny movements

were from the baby bird inside the egg, or if it was

just being jostled by the other babies...

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I took this picture a couple of hours later...still the same.

I didn't have a good feeling about the last egg's hatching ~

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(Just an aside...

When I was in Lowe's earlier Friday,

I picked up as many "Robin's Egg" color chips as I could find...

From greeny-blues to more aqua-y blues...

With just a little bit of shell that had dropped into the kettle Fairy Garden to go by,

the consensus was that Valspar's "Reflection Pool"...was the best match.

Jonathan I were sitting on the back steps with all these colors

 spread out before us...and this seemed to be the closest.

I think the eggshell had just a touch more "dustiness" to it...

a little tiny bit earthier...

but this would be gorgeous on a wall, wouldn't it?

I am just enamored with this color lately!)

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Well, Saturday morning came, and I had to go check

on the babies...

Three babies...no egg...no fourth baby bird...

No evidence there had ever been another one.

I looked all around to see if it had been pushed out of the nest...

Nothing on the ground...

So I went in and did a little more reading up on robins and their eggs and nestlings...

Evidently four is a large "clutch"...

It's almost as if the fourth egg was a "spare"...and possibly was not

warmed by the mother bird enough after she was so busy gathering

food for the three already hatched, hungry babies...

There were so many scenarios, so many things that could have happened...

I read that the parents also could have sensed that the last baby was weak...

(or possibly had died before it finished hatching) and took it away ~

far from the nest ~ to keep scavengers away from the rest of the nestlings.

Sad.

Someone once quoted me the line"Nature, red in tooth and claw"

~ from  Alfred, Lord Tennyson's In Memoriam A. H. H., 1850 ~

when I was lamenting something I thought was sad about an animal in the wild...


Things happen beyond anyone's control in Nature, just like the storms today...

I always want things to have happy endings.

:^(

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Yesterday afternoon...

Hungry, hungry, hungry!

And their eyes are beginning to open...

Can you imagine...darkness in the shell for 12 days...

then a few days of a bit of light, after hatching...

then, "Hello, big bright world!"

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This afternoon was hot and windy, and the babies

were hunkered down...Mama must have just fed them...

They are getting darker...the beginnings of pinfeathers...and have

doubled in size, I believe!

I don't see how this nest is going to accommodate three,(let alone four), babies!

Stay tuned.

The parents don't squawk at me so much, now. ;^)

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Besides tuberoses, I think my favorite flower is Honeysuckle!

This variety is from a garden center (a Mother's Day present from my oldest son Mark

 and his boys, Cody and Nick ~ about ten years ago! I keep digging it up and moving it...) ~

It looks basically the same as the wild version,

 except the buds start out bright rose before they open up to white or yellow...

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My Bachelor's Buttons are blooming!

When I was small, Grandma Collier and I walked down the alleys...

(Safer than the safe, safe sidewalks of little Morehouse, Missouri!)

 I remember there being so many of these pretty blue flowers ~

and picking them, of course!

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Look at this little fellow!!

He was running around wildly between the flats of seedlings

Mr. B had started on the patio...

Jonathan carefully caught him...in a dishtowel...we watched him for a few minutes...

then he let him go in the herb garden...he was just the tiniest little (furry) mouse

I had ever seen! (Yes, I have seen the "pink" babies...this little guy was

much cuter...:^)
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And last but never least, Cyrus...

in Tallulah's new bed...

He doesn't think he's too big at all!

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I will probably not be blogging for a few days...

Jonathan's graduation is in just 3 days!

So much to do, I don't even know where to start.



Everyone stay safe...heed the weather warnings...

(That's the only thing I don't like about Spring; the unsettled weather...)

Love,
 
Photobucket

33 comments:

  1. Beautiful post! Those baby birds are so cute...

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  2. So sorry about that 3rd little egg....but hopefully his brothers and sisters will be stronger for his sacrifice and survive to raise families of their own.

    I just love the pictures of your flowers! They would make beautiful postcards!

    Pink suits Cyrus....haha!

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  3. The baby birds are beyond precious. I always want happy endings too my friend. Praying with you, love you.

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  4. What a beautiful post!!!
    I'm always looking for happy endings too - I need them actually - there's just far too much sadness in the news lately..........
    Much love,
    SUzan

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  5. Awww, so sad about number 4, but those three look like they are thriving! Wonderful photos!

    And what a furry little cutie to join you in your garden! Sooo tiny!

    Happy week and good luck with all the grad preparations!

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  6. Hi Anne!
    Cyrus is beautiful!
    Oh, I love that little mouse. Don't the kitties chase them away?
    Yay for hatchlings! Sing, birdies, sing!

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  7. I'm a Bird Watcher and following your photos on the Robin nest has been wonderful. Thanks for sharing with us.

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  8. Lovely post, you really captured great pictures of those baby birds!! Sweet!

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  9. Beautiful photos, Anne! You've captured nature in all her splendor, and all her mishaps.

    OH, that bachelor's button is so pretty. I suppose a bachelor would sport something that would attract, don't you?

    Blessings,

    Marianne xo

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  10. Anne - such a true privilege to watch these little ones grow and become gorgeous robins. Isn't that egg shell blue the best color. I too can't imagine the horror of all those folks are going through in Oklahoma...you stay safe too my friend and don't work too hard so you can't enjoy Jonathan's graduation - have a wonderful time and God Bless - Give Jonathan a hug for me.

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  11. So many lovely photos and you've been really busy!!! You made even ugly little hatchlings look cute!

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  12. I LOVE this post! Those baby birds are so cute! It's so interesting how big their eyeballs are with tiny slits. The slits must grow to the eyeball size as they grow. Interesting. That blue color is GORGEOUS! That blue is one of my favorite colors right now. Thanks for sharing the name of it. I just might have to use it somewhere in my house. I love it even more knowing that it's almost the same color as the eggs. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos. The "Fuzzy-Wuzzy" one is my absolute favorite! Precious!

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  13. So special photos! Thanks for sharing.Big kiss to Cyrus :) !

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  14. Such sweet little birdies, Anne, and what a treat to watch them grow! Nature is harsh sometimes, but wise as long as we don't tamper with it! Robin's egg blue is my favorite color - all of my dishes are this color - thanks for figuring out the paint color for us. You have had the sweetest luck with babies, the mouse is just too cute - and Cyrus, how funny that he squeezes himself into Tallulah'a bed! Who can guess a cat's logic? Your flowers are gorgeous. So nice that you have a graduation in the family! Happy week! Hugs, xoxo

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  15. Thank you Miss Anne for the updates and BEAUTIFUL pictures!!!
    Congrats and Remember to take a breath and ENJOY!!!<3

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  16. Beautiful, beautiful pictures!! Congratulations on the graduation, too! Yes, it s a very busy time of year. Hope you are doing great!
    Blessings,
    Susie

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  17. I love the smell of honeysuckle and the blue of bachelor's buttons. I also love critters :)

    Congrats to Jonathan on his graduation :)

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  18. Dear Anne,
    the photo of Mr. FuzzyWuzzy made me laughing loud. Oh my, what a sweet guy. See, that is nature. The parents surely have put away the fourth egg. Now they feed just three children instead of four. Each one has a better chance now. The little mousie is really cute. But it was brave of your Jonathan, because also little mices can bite. Didn't the cats noticed this little guy? Wish you a good time. The storm was terrible, I am so sorry for all the concerned people.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  19. super good post...love the baby bird photo's and the egg colored paint is to die for...your little visitor, the kitty's and the beautiful flowers is a lot to soak in....love it. :) I do not blame you for taking a break..I hope you will share graduation photo's when you return. :)

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  20. Your pictures are amazing..Thanks for sharing..

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  21. I love your photography. I feel bad that the 4th egg didn't hatched. Thanks for giving us an update.


    Prayers for the people of Moore, Oklahoma. Very sad...
    Hugs,
    JB

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  22. love seeing the birds...great shots all.

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  23. Beautiful photos, you can certainly captured the babies. I followed a robin and the hatching of the eggs process last Spring with a nest in a tree in my yard. Yes, we have all been watching the devastation and loss of life in Oklahoma, it's so sad and heart breaking.

    Take care.

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  24. I love all your photos so much! You always bring a smile to my face! Happy graduation to Jonathan ;o)

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  25. Beautiful post! Awesome photos!
    It's heart wrenching to see nature - both in the "wild" and in the storms ... isn't it? We had barn swallows who nested in an awning and they had several 'clutches' I suppose I would say - the last one was deadly ... they've never come back to that spot (yet). Even though we tore the nest down and cleaned up the awning after they abandoned it. Sad sad.

    But I love your post! Glad I stopped by! Thanks!

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  26. PS - I mentioned you in a post today -no pressure to respond by blog post - just enjoy ... or post ... whichever strikes you.

    Thanks, Jenn

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  27. A lovely, lovely post dear Anne- the Robin babies lift my heart! jane xx

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  28. Anne, just found your beautiful blog. I'm also an Ann and a Midwest girl (Kansas). Your photography is lovely--such gorgeous flowers and birds. Will follow--want to see more of your lovely pictures.
    Ann

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  29. Anne...these photos are stunning....
    Poor little birdie though.

    That aqua color is delicious and gorgeous, and I can smell the honeysuckle now...love love love.
    A beautiful post....
    Enjoy your weekend, sweet friend!
    xoxo,
    - Irina

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  30. Wow! You got some great shots of the baby birds. Amazing how they grow and change so quickly. Yikes! A little mouse. I can't even believe you were able to catch it. Apparently there was one at school a couple of weeks ago and everyone was freaking out. My son's graduation is today. Time is just whizzing by. Best wishes to Jonathan. Blessings, Tammy

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  31. I'm watching my own nest of baby robins. First egg hatched May 30 (my birthday) : ) Now there are three babies. She made her nest on the tire of our tractor!!
    I've seen both mom and dad feed the babies. So cool to watch first hand.
    Your pictures of the babies are fantastic!!

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I love your thoughts and comments, and I read each and every one! Sometimes life gets in the way, though, and it takes me a while to respond...Thank you for understanding! ♥...Time is precious, and the time you have taken here is truly appreciated!