[Tweeters] Our Baby Robins are "gone" ....

[jimbetz at jimbetz.com]

Hi all,

   The robin's nest in the tree along side of our front door is
empty - just today.  And the fledglings are hanging out in the
front yard ... mostly just sitting in the grass while Mom(?) hunts
for worms nearby.  One has been in a low bush - and another of
the 3 has been on the lowest branches of the large tree.
   We never saw a second adult - so I'm guessing that the one
that is here is the female.
   We're hoping the adults will choose to use the same nest
again for their next clutch - we'll see.

   It does seem like if a pair has chosen a particular location
for their nest that they will return to the same nest for the
next time (that same year).  I'm not talking about just robins
here.  However, some of the nearby nests have been "once onlys".
Next year same tree/location - that seems to be less likely.

   As I think I've reported before - just about all of the
species we've had at the seed feeder this year are showing up
as young birds - first with an adult feeding them and then
quickly them feeding themselves and finally where the new
fledgling is present at the feeder and the adults are either
not with them or ignoring them and just feeding themselves.
More or less in frequency of visitors we've had House Sparrows,
House Finches, Goldfinches, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins,
Towhees, White-Crowned Sparrows, Cowbirds, Grosbeaks (both
but more Black-headed), Robins (on the lawn), Mourning
Doves (on the aggregate under the seed feeder), and some
occasional visitors such as Flickers, Stellars, etc.
   For a few days about a month ago there was a Cooper's
Hawk that came near the seed feeder "every day" but it
stopped visiting (I guess it didn't catch another bird?).

   The frequency of Bald Eagles has dropped -way- off but
we still see several Vultures a day.  It's been a month
or so since we've seen a Red-Tailed (here from the house).
   Trips to the Skagit and Samish Flats have produced a
few raptors and very little else since about the middle of
May.  I guess I'm just missing the GBHs and others ...
We did see two adults and one juvenile Bald Eagle - on
the ground in a field - very near the corner of Best Rd.
and McClean (where Christiansen's is) just last week.  They
were quite near the road and stayed long enough for me to
go around the round-a-bout and come back to stop and get a
long look and a couple of cell phone pictures.

                         ****

   I'm saddened by Gary's move - it's his life and all that
but he is an important part of local birding and he will be
missed.
                                         - Jim in Burlington