Now, if this don't beat all...

my thoughts are wiyh you,thanks for the update =}

So glad our little Dumplin is still there and doing ok. Post when you get back and catch your breath. Take care.
Steph

Thank you for our Robin fix for the day..so glad the little guy is hanging in there!

I, too, add my thoughts and prayers for your family as you get through these rough days.. thank you for allowing us to watch alongside you as the babies grow :)

Hello Folks,

It is a VERY sad day. At 3am, my husband went through out home security video this morning and a couple of feral cats had methodically killed each of the 4 babies. Three of the babies were laying dead on our patio and the 4th must have been carried off.
Mama has been "whining" with a low peep chirp and Dad is perched close by. There isn't any way I can console her, which makes it even harder for me. Oh, I'm just Soooooo devastated, my heart is broken to bits.
Later today when I'm feeling more up to it, I will share more of the pics I took yesterday.
Here are 2 for now...

Oh Susan I'm so sorry to hear that! (((HUGS))) Pelle

Hello Pelle,

Thanks...needed that hug. I love cats, but today...not so much. Three were so close to fledgling out of the nest. Oh this is just heartwrenching for both my husband and I...just totally gutted.

Oh the tears from my eyes just keep flowing! Mama is still chirping her low peep by the window...
@#$% ferel Cats!



This message was edited Jun 7, 2010 8:16 AM

I'm so sorry to hear this Susan. This is why only 40% (cornell) of robin nestings make it. Cats (I have two) outdoors are just devastating.

Thanks Mrs_Ed,
I wish Mama didn't build the nest here on our porch planter. From so much joy to so much sadness. I wonder if it would be best, if there is a next time, to just discourage a Robin building a nest there again. We did do that initially, but gave up because the female was determined...
Oh, just so upset I can't stop crying... :(
Here's a pic with dumpling, showing even on it's last day how much he/she wanted to live and make it in the world...even as harsh and cruel it can be sometimes. If you look really close, you'll see Mama feeding them with wild blackberries...bless her heart :)



This message was edited Jun 7, 2010 8:45 AM

I've been watching this thread with joy but this is a heartbreaking time for the mother and for you. I am so very sorry it ended this way.

Thanks Pirl,

We really feel like we lost members of our own family...it has hit us that hard. We miss them all so much. Neither Mama or Dad has been seen during the last hour...not that they would build a nest anywhere near here again.
There is a Robin's nest in the neighbor's tree in the backyard though...so there might be a fledgling from that nest soon, but that nest has been raided a few times by Grackles, so don't know if any will make it this year.
Anyway, I know time will heal. It will be hard for me everytime I see a Robin now for a very long time :(

Oh, I am so sorry!! :( Sending hugs your way..

I had this happen to me last year with a cardinal nest. The neighbor's cat got to it, on the day of the first hatchling. It was in a wreath on my door. I DO discourage nesting now in anything that is vulnerable. I send the dogs out to chase the cat off anytime I see it near our fence.

We've had crows rob the nest many times with the mother birds flying after them as the babies hang from the side of the crow's mouth. I've been told that it's just nature but I find it so very upsetting.

Susan, I found myself tearing at the drop at the hat anymore. I cried a good cry before I can utter the words; I'm so sorry of your loss and I cried for the Robin mama as for her babies. And the darn ferrel cats!!! I love our domestic pets. Cats as dogs and all creatures. But I get nervous when I'm outdoor this time of year with my furbabies.
Bless the Robins' heart. How about BLESS THE PEAS PICKING-HEARTS of those cats that committed such awful act.!

I would be devastated too. Bless your heart. It's amazing how attached we can get to creatures even if they are not IN our home. Reason #954 of why I hate cats.

Oh, how awful! I'm so sorry. I've lost nestlings like that too, and the only thing that makes up for it is watching the next batch of them hopping around. It's just harder when it happens right under your nose, with babies you've been watching since the next was first being built.

(((HUGS))) (((HUGS))) (((HUGS))) (((HUGS))) (((HUGS)))

:(

I was just heartsick reading this Susan. Our little Dumplin and sibs are gone. This spring watching the Sidney eagles on the Hancock wildlife site A HUGE Crow swooped down and stole an egg and the parents had been only 1 min. off the nest. I was crying then too.Now the other hatchling they named SOLO since there were only the 2. I love cats but not when they go after the birds. Ours loves to hunt gophers and that makes me happy.

Hello All,

I want to thank all of you for your concern, kindness and warmth through it all...it means a lot to me :)
I slept most of the day on and off...just in major mourning. About 2 hours ago I stepped outside and softly spoke a high pitch "Mama"...and you know what? she flew to the top of the neighbor's roof and looked at me and chirped softly to me...as if we both knew...AGH!
The last 2 days I would leave a tiny container of mealworms next to the nest. When I'd drop off a supply into the container I would softly say "Mama" and she would fly to the top of the roof to see I dropped them off. We ran out of mealworms last night and since what had happened, I didn't think she would comeback again after this morning. I was wrong...
So I trucked myself down to the petsmart and bought some containers of mealworms. For the past couple of hours now, she hadn't comeback to our yard either. I hope that wasn't her goodbye. I was hoping she would at least still keep coming by at least for the mealworms.
Big Sigh...
The last time she came when I called, I was empty handed. Now I have bought 5 containers and she isn't around. Maybe I'm kooky to think she would still come. I guess I was selfishly thinking she would still come around for a bite to eat for herself and a future brood, even if she wasn't going to have her nest here again.

When our former neighbor here, who fed the birds and seagulls each day, died, the birds came back every day waiting for him to appear and then finally left after he was buried. He had only been sick for 11 days.

One year later, to the day, the seagulls returned for a final salute. They've never come back.

I hope Mama returns for the worms. You've been a good and loyal friend to her.

So sorry ~~~

Susan Louise, I so, so sorry that this has happened. Along with everyone else, I was enjoying their progress and we even had cause to be optimistic about the runt, didn't we? As for discouraging her if she wants to nest there again (I don't know if Robins do that), the best thing would be to rig up some sort of wide barrier that will prevent any cat from getting to them. If she wants to nest in amongst your beautiful blooms and is disallowed, she'll possibly go and find somewhere else that may have equally disastrous results, but you simply won't know about it.

I am so sorry to read this Susan, and I do understand your pain. It is amazing how these little creatures work their way into our hearts so quickly and easily. And yet even after the pain of loss we all open our hreats up again to the nest one.

I hope momma comes back to enoy the worms. If not, I bet there is someone around who would enjoy your offerings.

my heart is aching for you susan,we had 2 robins nests,they just layed eggs and I think a bluejay or starling destroyed both nests,Thats when I found the warm egg,and thought for an hour about how can I hatch this egg... I picked up the nest and placed the egg in it and put the nest in the spruce tree,it is still there = { but i did have 1 succesfull nest with 3-4 Iam not sure howmany ended up making it,I think is good for me !!!

Susan Louise, I'm very very sorry for the lost of the baby Robins. How I had wished, they would have made it.

So Sad :'(

Hello All,

It's been several days since I've been on DG...just still very heart-sick. I want to thank everyone for your support through it all. I've spent some time on our patio trying to get back into all the other birds and critters...and they have been helping. I'm finally getting out of the sink hole, so to speak.
I'll be starting a new thread for our Cardinal family...hope ya'll will join me there. I pray their story will have a happy ending :)

(((Susan)))

Thank you for sharing your robins with us, even though their story was cut short. I'm looking forward to hearing about your cardinals!

((((((((Susan)))))))))

We are still here just waiting for you to heal from the Robins misfortune,. Look forward to the Cardinals. Glad things are going a little better for you.

So glad to see that you're doing better :) Can't wait to see what's going on with the cardinals! Would you mind coming back here and giving us the shortcut?

Hugs
Chris

Hello All,

Well, what can I say...the Cardinal family as of today is no more. A HOSP thwarted the family from their 2nd brood in our honeysuckle. Crap! Guess our place is the "no nesting zone" :/
I have pics that go back from the 3rd of June when the female started to build her nest and the male was bringing the little juvie "Miss" around our gardens for grub and to be close to the new nesting site.
As of last night, our security camera showed a male HOSP follow her into the nest. She managed to escape, but never returned...not that I blame her...big sad sigh.
She went from having 2 eggs on the 10th, then to 4 eggs on the 11th...(not 3 eggs, then to 4 eggs). That next day, the 12th, I watched her with my own eyes fly off 2 times with an egg each time. I'm like "What the...???"
My initial thought was that maybe a female Cowbird laid 2 eggs and she got rid of them. I couldn't believe she got rid of 2 of her own if she just laid them. I also did some research and found out that Cowbird eggs, although they look about the same, they are a bit smaller.
Ok, I thought...then I went back and looked at the pics. Darn if I can tell the difference! So last night, the 13th, at about 8:04pm, the male HOSP did his business...@#$% Sparrow! AGH! :(
She never returned. I was out all day today on the patio hoping to hear her in the distance...nope, only the male and about a block north of here now. Well, I hope she will have peace there...poor thing. Well, at least we know what happened and why she abandoned her nest, and it wasn't due to anything we did to scare her at all. Unfortunately, the nest still has 2 eggs in it.
I'll post 4 pics...one of "Mama C" in her "Room with a View"...
And the 3 pics of the eggs in the nest...(the 2 initial eggs, then 4, then the 2 that were left)...
I would appreciate any input on what ya'll might think about the eggs...and why she would have removed 2 so fast from the nest. They look all the same to me, but I'm no expert...thanks :)

This is "Mama C" on her nest in the honeysuckle...






This message was edited Jun 14, 2010 11:59 PM

Pic of 2 eggs taken on the 10th...notice her decorating sense...equipted with rain gear :D

Pic taken on the 11th...4 eggs

Pic taken on the 12th...2 eggs

Susan, I know absolutely nothing about birds eggs. I just am sorry that the Cardinals are having hard time with the HOSP. I went to the nursery to get some verbenas today, and the lady show showed me two baby mockingbirds, with Mama (who was) standing nearby guarding her youngs. I thought of you... Here is wishing you peace, love and joy seeing those little ones in harmony with one another.

This message was edited Jun 14, 2010 7:58 PM

Thanks Lily,
I'm just glad she was able to get away. At least the 1st pic I posted of her above will be a nice memory...as cute as a button on her nest...
I hope she will be back next year and will try again :)

So sorry to hear that Susan. I'm glad the Mom is okay.

I am so sorry you have not had the pleasure of seeing any birds fledge their nests this year. So sad. I am not real familier with some birds. What is a HOSP. Anyone have a photo.

House sparrow. They are supposed to be declining in Eng. Would like to send them all back!