The Birds Nest

A week ago I was trimming the shrubs around the deck and found a birds nest in the Annabelle hydrangea. There were four robins eggs in it. Avery and I watched from the kitchen all week. The mama robin would come and sit for awhile and if we came out side, she'd go up into the willow and wait for us to leave.

Yesterday we were out doing yard work in the area and I checked to see their progress. They had hatched! Avery and I looked for a minute at the baby birds. They couldn't have been more than a day old or so. They had a little bit of downy feather but for the most part were skin and their eyes were still shut. We watched the mama bring them food and made sure to keep Bella away from them (she had found a nest on the ground in the front and destroyed the next and killed the babies). This morning we let Bella out and made sure she didn't go near them then went to see how they were. The nest was empty. I told Avery they must have flown away but I don't think that was possible yet. I looked on the ground to see if they were down there but there was nothing (not to mention its a pretty decent distance to the ground so if they had fallen they most likely wouldn't have survived. I guess another bird must have gotten them. There is bird feeders quite nearby (probably why the birds wanted to next so close). Yesterday I saw a hawk heading in the hedgerow chasing a bunch of smaller birds, maybe he came by.

I know its part of nature for things like this to happen but its sad. All that work and waiting and preparation and then something happens to destroy it. I know how this feels all to well and perhaps that is why I'm so upset by it.

Typically we love seeing the empty nests around the property left over the years by birds. I think each time I see this one I'll be a little sad.