A Robin Story

For the purposes of my imagined dialogue between the robin couple featured in the short video to follow, I am referring to the robin with the bright red breast as Poppa Robin and the more mottled looking chirpy robin as Momma Robin.

This couple grabbed my attention while I was enjoying my morning cup of coffee. There was a lot of chirping going on so I grabbed my coffee and enjoyed the drama unfolding in my very own back yard.

Momma had a lot to say and Poppa was just trying enjoy his Sunday morning. He kept hopping ahead of her and she kept right on his tail feathers. Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!!

This went on for quite some time before Poppa finally flew up to the roof of the shed. Then two little birds made a few feeble attempts to join Poppa but it took a few tries to reach the rooftop. I felt a little thrill bubble up inside me. I saw a robin building a nest in the tree right beside the yard. Could this be the babies?? I heard a lot of baby-sounding chirps last weekend. Could the babies have left the nest? Could these be the babies?

It fits the storyteller within my mind to believe these little birds were baby robins. So instantly I translated Momma's incessant chirps to Poppa to: "I just need the yard to myself! Go! Take the babies out!! Teach them to fly. I need them to leave the nest. I'm tired!!! I just need some quiet!"

So, Poppa and the babies flew off. I watched Momma for quite some time and eventually Poppa returned. Momma still chirping away at him - probably worried about the kids, "What do you mean they flew off on you? Where did they go? Why didn't they come home with you? Why??!!"

The couple flew into the front yard and I lost sight of them in the tree where their nest had been built. I thought that may be the last I saw of this couple but I was wrong. 

Momma Robin had quite a distinctive look. Her feathers were mottled and she looked "old and grey". Her tail feathers were short. I think I could have identified her in a line-up of robin suspects because of her uniqueness.

So when I heard some insistent chirping at the living room window when I was settling down for the night, I had to investigate. Sure enough. Momma Bird came back and was staring right at me through the window:

I think I made a friend! 

Ahhh!! The best things in life are free.