COVID-19 STAY SAFE
Witnessing the miracle of nature
Appreciating the wonder of nature when it lands right on your doorstep.
After a long winter, we look forward to the first signs of spring and warmer weather. I look forward to seeing the first robins in my garden, the bursts of crocus peeping up through the ground, the slightly longer daylight hours and the early blossoms on the trees. I eagerly watch to see many birds flying around, looking for potential nesting spots and a place to raise their young.
Due to the pandemic and staying at home because of the lockdown, I have many more opportunities to observe nature all around me. One day while looking through my front-room window, I noticed a couple of robins constantly flying around my front yard. I was curious to see the source of all this activity. I looked out on my front porch and to my surprise, a robin had already built a nest atop my motion detector lights. This was probably not the most desirable place for a nest, but apparently the robin thought it was ideal—sheltered and away from prey.
It was not long before the mother robin was sitting on the nest to incubate her eggs. From time to time, I would sneak a peek at her. I tried to be unobtrusive and not disturb
her for fear she would abandon the nest. For many days she sat on the nest, flying o only for a few moments to grab some food for herself and to stretch her wings.
Then one day I noticed a flurry of activity as two robins were flying to and from the nest—obviously two very busy parents. The eggs had hatched! I walked outside hoping to see what treasure the nest held, and to my amazement, I saw four tiny little heads, mouths open wide as the mother was feeding them a tasty morsel.
GROWING AND THRIVING
Several days passed and I could see that the baby robins were getting bigger each day. I even wondered how four robins could squeeze into such a small nest. But again, nature seems to know best and make everything just the way it should be. The parents would feed their young from dawn to dusk. As soon as one robin finished feeding the young and flew o to find more food, the other robin quickly flew to the nest to take over feeding. I sometimes saw a robin patiently sitting on a tree branch with an insect in its mouth waiting for its turn to feed the young. Whenever possible I’d venture outside and take some pictures of the young with their little heads peering out of the nest, or of them being fed by a parent. The robins quickly accepted that I posed no threat to them or to their young and allowed me to briefly enjoy watching the daily feeding and to photograph them.
I was beginning to wonder when the young robins would be ready to leave their nest. Early one morning as I glanced out my front window, I saw one of the robins fly out of the nest and land on a nearby bush. I watched as one of the parents immediately flew to it and began to feed it. This little bird stayed there for a while but the next time I glanced out of the window he was gone. Whether this little robin was the first to leave the nest or the last I do not know. But later when I again looked out at the nest, it was already empty. I almost felt a little sad for I likely would not see these robins again. It seemed to be an auspicious morning for these young robins to fly away; the sun was shining and it was warm—a perfect new beginning.
Upon reflection I realized that I was quite privileged to have witnessed all of it. If I was not staying at home because of the COVID-19 lockdown, I likely would not have even noticed that a robin built a nest right on my front porch. I see many robins around my yard and I’d like to think that perhaps some of these might be the family that I had the privilege to see grow up.
Nature is amazing and beautiful and is wonderful to observe and respect. You don’t have to go to the countryside or remote locations to appreciate nature, as sometimes nature can surprise you and appear right on your doorstep. Welcome it, respect it and appreciate it. ■