I was watching early this morning ans a big ol’ spider was moving around where that twig is suspended. It had a distinct abdomen; if the nest was here I’d have called it a black widow. Do those live around Lake Michigan?
I’m happy to report there are still four fledglings. The nest is sure getting crowded.
Although this is the northernmost extent of their range, Black Widow spiders are around here, AFAIK. I can’t say I have seen one, but I haven’t been looking. I suspect that “big ol’ spider” wouldn’t be so big if it wasn’t so close to the lens!
When one chick flexes & flaps its wings, it seems to occupy the whole nest, pushing on its nest-mates. It took a lower and more passive profile when I stepped up the ladder and stared it in the face with my camera from 10 inches away.
The chicks are starting to look a bit like mature robins. I thought one of the parents had somehow squeezed itself in among the chicks, because its profile was pretty much like an adult robin. But it was one of the chicks and it has started to lose the goofy, loose-lipped baby look.
For anyone watching today, we have had torrential rains with intermittent sun all day, and this is expected to continue for a few more days. While you might think the parents have a hard time flying, and would prefer to shelter under the porch, they seem to be taking advantage of the rain which seems to flush worms and bugs out of hiding. And it might keep predators down, too.
Big guy on top of the heap has been flapping his wings like crazy! Can it be time for our little ones to finally leave the nest? 
(and you’re right about the rain flushing out more worms - mama just came back with a giant mouthful of them!)
So cute it almost seems fake!
No room in the nest? Stand on your brother.
The sounds include thunder, lake waves, and cars going by. One thing not heard much today: motorcycles. The forecast still includes possible hail and high winds, and wet weather for the next 6 days. Give us a break, weather gods!
I just saw a parent fly in with another big worm (maybe rain for the next few days is a good thing for them, hunting-wise) and then grab a couple of the fecal sacs. I wonder if there’s any nutrition in those for the parent bird? If the babies aren’t particularly good at digesting, maybe so, though with the last couple visits they just seem to fly away with them.
I like leaving the sound on since the squalling from the babies usually means there’s something going on and I can switch my window over to the cam to check it out.
IANA ornithologist, but I think the big birds grab the fecal sacks and dispose of them at a distance from the nest to disperse tell-tale scents that predators might detect. While it seems gross to swallow them, birds have limited ways of transporting stuff. AFAIK, Fedex doesn’t provide shipping services to robins.
Speciesist bastards
This is fun to watch, thanks for posting it here!
Two of the chicks are almost adult-sized. I wonder why they are poking themselves so much. Are they scratching where it itches, maybe due to parasites, or are they fluffing up feathers for future flying?
It looks like the smallest one is getting the short end of the bug parade.
Just think – these near-adults were only tiny eggs 8 days ago!
I thought perhaps they were picking the down off themselves as the new feathers grew in.
But where did everyone go? I tried checking the link this morning, but it was acting up (kept freezing) so decided to try again just now. Only one baby left in the nest!
And that one baby keeps opening its mouth when flies come near; they don’t just put themselves in your mouth when you’re a grownup, little buddy. Have the other fledglings returned at all?
I’m hoping the parents don’t forget to feed the one left behind … he’s probably the littlest one.
For some reason, the webcam link didn’t work well this AM. I tried rebooting the entire system, but that didn’t fix it. A few hours later, everything started to work OK.
Then I climbed up the ladder for the daily nest picture. Before, the babies just hunkered down while I put a cam above them about a foot, but this time, the biggest one got scared and jumped off. Not quite a glide, not a flight – he ended up on the ground not far away, then was able to fly (yes, fly!) to a nearby tree. Since he had to gain altitude to do that, I guess the first solo flight was a relative success. He was followed by the second one. Unfortunately, I don’t have any video of either.
When I turned around, the third one had left. The parents are making loud noises in nearby trees, but haven’t returned to the nest, and I wonder if any of them will return, ever.
I’ve been playing music to encourage the last one, like the Theme from Rocky.
And the last one just left!!
According to Wiki, they all fledge within 2 days of each other; the mom will probably only brood and feed them at night now. The chicks leave the nest two weeks after hatching but they’ll still follow and beg from their parents.
The last one began to perch on the edge of the nest, so I grabbed my video camera and tried to record it through the screen door when he jumped. Not good video, but the bird flew at least 50 feet and landed in a tree. Not bad for the first solo flight.
There’s a lot of chirping going in right now, you can hear it, but I only see the two parents. It should be interesting to see if any return to the nest tonight or ever. I’ll leave it up for a while, but I gotta put that ladder away sometime!