Birdies!

A few weeks ago, we noticed this.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I climbed on a chair and used a mirror (and later, my phone, obviously) and saw this!

Then I got really worried about the fact that we'd had that light on quite a bit, so I taped over its switch, to be sure we'd keep it off. A couple of days later, I saw a third egg in the nest, but then Peeper noticed a broken egg (no embryo visible) on the doorstep, so back to two, I suppose.

And here they are, today!

When I showed Peeper the photo, she said, "Awwww, how cute are they?!"

I know they don't look so good in this photo, but I promise they're just sleeping. Right before I took it, Mama (or Daddy?) Robin flew off and I saw them poking their little heads up, saying goodbye. I suppose they snuggled up and went to sleep right after that.

This morning, while Peeper was at school. Shrike and I were standing in the kitchen (the window over the sink looks right at them) and saw one of the parents fly to the next with something wormy-looking in its mouth. Two little beaks immediately opened up, saying "Feed me! Feed me!" and s/he gave it to one of them, before settling down on the nest to keep them nice and cozy.

I am thrilled to know that we didn't bake them with the light, but I'm still quite concerned about the odds of them actually making it, because our dogs have quite a track record of grabbing fledglings, and these little guys are going to hop out of the next right in front of the back door.

You can't see it in the photo, but when we discovered the eggs, Shrike moved Peeper's playhouse up against the wall, so it's right under the nest, and put something flat on top of it, so they can land there and still be up off the ground. I suppose they're going to go to the ground eventually, though, so I'm not sure how we're going to protect them.

We might just use the door on the other end of the room for a while, if we can get Peeper on board with that plan, but there's another nest in the bush right outside it.

Ah, nature.