Worms and azalea for lunch

Under the keyhole nest Mama is collecting lunch. Lots of mud. Lots of worms.

From the side, shooting through mesh, you can stand and watch kids grow.

Meanwhile the fuse box gang have all fledged and are in the trees across the path, either resting or calling for food.

What??!!  Papa has food. What food?!   Holy cow, an azalea blossom. Salad for lunch?

How is this going to get jammed down the gullet?  I've never seen anything like this before.

Shove it in, pull it out. Baby robins don't chew. Food has to be deposited down the gullet. Worms can wiggle their way "downtown" but blossoms???????? Beats me.

Oh oh, a petal fell, so Papa swooped down and retrieved the petal. Every bit of the salad is important. Waste not, want not.

Azalea is looking ratty, partially eaten.

              Remainder is going to be taken to another baby higher up in a tree. Salad for all.

More nest activity, naturally

Fuse box nest, home alone. This kid is ready to fledge.

Key hole nest from the side. Difficult viewing, mesh in the way, leaves in the way. Three new kids. Both parents very attentive. Eyes not open yet.

Lens being stared-down.  Face off-time.

Back to center garden to find the fuse box kids. They're in the nest area. I can't distinguish one from the other. There was no obvious runt.

To be continued.  These are all from May 9th and 10th.

Back to the nestlings

Watching three active nests. This is the key hole nest from the side, very small babies.

The only fledgling I could find from the scaffold nest. Now empty. Both babies near nest. Other baby very well hidden, but I can hear it.

Fuse box nest, babies thriving and huge.

Back to key hole nest

Fuse box kids could walk out of this nest. Papa finds food in garden under nest.

Great nest, because there's space to flex muscles. Very important before maiden flight. Alpha baby has fledged.

At this point it's impossible to keep nest area clean. Back wall is the poop wall. They'll leave home soon.