Baby robins squawk for food in a nest in Summerland.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dwayne Babyn
June 29, 2024 - 6:00 AM
Dwayne and Sandy Babyn of Summerland had front row seats to a nature show this month, after a pair of robins built a nest in the wreath on their front door and proceeded to raise three chicks.
“It has been a delightful and educational experience,” Dwayne said. “We’ve learned a lot about birds just by watching them.”
Dwayne set up a trail camera to watch the baby birds progress from eggs to hatchlings to fledglings after discovering a male robin built the nest end of May.
“You wouldn’t believe it, one night I could hear something rattling on the door at 4 a.m. and the next morning when I walked out the nest was complete. It was rainy and the male was able to get a bit of mud and grass.
“Days before I saw the robins on the step, cocking their heads and looking at the door. Now I know he was asking her approval on the housing site.”
Two young robins sit in a nest in a wreath in Summerland.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Sandy Babyn
The couple watched remotely through the camera as each blue egg appeared, later hatching into three tiny, featherless babies.
“Both mom and dad do the feeding, and while the babies had no feathers on, the mom would sleep in the nest with them at night,” Dwayne said. “We couldn’t hear (the babies), just when the parents would come and feed them, we’d hear chirps.”
The chicks grew feathers and grew bigger until they could be seen standing up in the nest stretching and flapping their wings. And then they took flight.
The Babyns have been sharing photographs and updates online on the bird family.
“People were in love with watching the transition and learning along with us, there is a lot excitement and its educational for everyone,” Dwayne said.
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The Babyns enjoy putting up seasonal wreaths to make their home welcoming and consider the bird nest a sign of good luck. They will be keeping the nest in the wreath and hanging it up next spring for another bird family.
“We’re empty nesters now, and we can finally use our front door again," Dwayne said.
This fledgling robin in Summerland is getting too big for its nest.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dwayne Babyn
This fledgling robin rests after its first flight in Summerland.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Sandy Babyn
An empty birds' nest sits on a door wreath at a home in Summerland.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dwayne Babyn
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