For about two weeks I monitored a robin's nest constructed in my catalpa tree about 30 feet from the bay window in my house. I can open the window and shoot through it and get a perfect view of the nest. Sometime between 3-31-2006 and 4-2-2006 the eggs hatched. I first saw only 1 chick, then 3, and yesterday a 4th chick appeared. You can see parts of all 4 chicks in one shot. I will be following the progress of the chicks throughout the coming weeks. I hope the chicks make it OK. The nest is not very high off of the ground and yesterday I had to chase a cat away. The parents are certainly doing their part well. They are providing an endless bounty of worms, grubs, and insects. On one feeding, the grub that was shoved down the chick's gaping gullet was larger than the head of the chick!

Sad news to report! The robins did not survive. Yesterday (04-05-06), when I checked the nest through my camera lens, I saw no activity. I immediately went to my upstairs window where I can partially see into the nest, I verified that it was empty. I had realized when I first found the nest that the very characteristics that made it great for photography, i.e., low to the ground and free of concealing vegitation, also made it more susceptible to preditors. I suspect that one of the many feral cats in the neighborhood got the chicks but I can't be sure. I have never seen any snakes except for some brown snakes that only reach about 12 inches in length.

The images below serve to remind us that nature can be both wonderful and cruel at the same time when assessed from the human viewpoint.