Birdies Leave the Nest

This is a follow up for my last post. The birdies have all successfully left the nest. I watched the last two fly. Check out this little album. The last birdie really took a lot of encouragement. I observed last meals in the nest as well as lots of stretching and preening. They made it! This is all hitting a bit closer to home! Last weekend with my full nest......my birdies start to fly Wednesday! 

Full nest

The past few weeks, I have been watching a robin's nest. I am pretty sure I started my observations the day the robin laid her eggs. It has been neat to watch the mother and the father attend to their sweet 3. The parents diligently laid on the eggs and Oi la babies.  Then the feeding began. Lots and lots of worms, more worms and the occasional moth, grasshopper and who knows what? Everything is gobbled up very fast.

You do not even have to pay attention much. The birdies all react when Mom or Dad get to the nest with the next meal. Cheep cheep cheep.... lots of movement and beaks wide open. 

The other day, I was sure that the birds were going to fall out. So much movement in such a small space. Looks like they barely all fit in the nest.  The parents sure keep a close watch on them though. I was hoping to watch some flying lessons but have become the "watched". The birds sure guard their little ones often leaving the nest to watch from a branch close by or the hillside, but they watch me closely. The other day there was so much movement  that it just looked like a massive weirdly shaped birdie up there. There were wings flapping and and even a little pecking. 

In less than two weeks my "nest" will be emptying out. D has been here on weekends and B and B all summer. I can't help but think of them when I am watching this threesome. It is funny to notice that the birdies seem to have different personalities.  Some are quieter than the others, one always has his beak open and one is pretty sleepy. I could go on but was struck that even as my kids are radically different it seems like these three are too. 

They all share Mom and Dad and the nest and it is a thing of beauty. I was cracked up by this picture. Look at the look on his face. Just a reminder that we do not always get along and sometimes the nest feels a bit tight but we love and protect and feed our sweet babies. Of course, I think my "nest is best" (like one of my favorite Dr Suess books) but they need to fly!

My kids bring such joy and life to the "nest". It will be a bit weird as this year all three will fly away. I pray that they will eat the right worms and stay safe and sound and remember everythinl that L and I have poured into them. Being a parent is some quite wonderful and I look forward to continuing the journey.