Our Little Robin Family

This was one of the highlights of my summer.  We got to observe this nest and the little birds that went along with it from the very beginning of the nest-making until the little birds grew up and hopped out and away.  It was so AMAZING!  This nest was just outside our living room window.  I still walk past the bush with the empty nest in it and think of the fun we had checking on their progress, and now I honestly miss the little bird family that isn't around anymore. 

You can see these 2 little babies are super newly born, and somehow one of the four eggs is no longer here (??).  Just look at how tiny they are!!

All three have hatched now, and they are just 1-2 days old here.

Here the babies are again, only 6 days old.  Can you believe how much they've changed in just 6 days?!

9 days old

9 days old

Only 11 days old, and now they are leaving the nest!  What timing--I came for this photo when one bird was already out in the yard hopping around, one bird was up on the side here and hopped out right of the tree/bush JUST after I took this picture.  Just one bird remained in the nest, for I think just a few more minutes.

This is mama bird chirping and calling to find her babies...she found that they weren't in the nest anymore, so she had to call and wait for them to answer her before she knew where they had hopped off to.  I heard that the mama bird would continue to bring the babies worms for a couple more days after they've left the nest, and then they're on their own.

Fresh out of the nest, not flying yet, but a cute little hopper anyway : ).

After this hour, I did not see these birds again.  Bye bye, baby robin.  It's been fun!   Now I'm just trying to decide which experience I enjoyed more: seeing the robins grow up, or watching the fireflies this summer.  I can't believe they're both all gone (the fireflies too).  Can't wait until next summer to see more!