Robin's Nest Near My Window 4

The Birth Head Feathers taken 1July2011

Late this evening, 3July2011, I arrived home after a day away at a family function.  I entered the front door and went directly to the breakfast room window to check up on the robins.  There was one of the chicks standing in the nest looking around.  It seems to had lost almost all of its birth feathers.  I went about the kitchen getting food out to make dinner.

After placing several pots on the stove, I returned to the window.  I had not seen either of the two parents since my arrival and neither was in sight and now two chicks were standing in the nest.  The boldest of the two seemed to be looking directly into my eyes telling me it was not afraid.  Within seconds of my arrival to the window this second time, the boldest chick turned and flew off to my left, chirping as it flew.  The actions of the boldest chick combined with its chirping stimulated the other standing chick to follow.  Neither of the chicks seemed to fly well, since it was their first try. I thought they landed some 15 feet into my yard.  The last chick, which was often hidden and still had most of those birth feather arising atop its head, stayed behind.  I think this meek chick may be a bit immature, perhaps hatching days after the others.

It was twilight before my curiosity got me out in to my yard to look for the robins that flew the coop, as it were.  The light was fast disappearing.  I walked to where I thought they would have landed and began to look around.  I didn't search amongst the plants in the garden but looked on the grass and concrete patio areas.  No sight of the chicks and they weren't making any sounds either.  My biggest fear is that they won't survive.  They didn't get any flight lessons but did they need lessons on feeding themselves?  Do the parents teach them to search out worms and insects or is that as instinctual as flying?  I will look for them again in the morning.

The Boldest Chick taken 16:50 3July2011