Biology class in the backyard

Nothing is quite as exciting as real life learning, like watching the circle of life right in our own backyard.  Every year a little bird has built a nest under our raised back porch, but every year the bird gets spooked when we walk out onto the deck and the eggs never hatch.  We've knocked the nests down in the fall to encourage the birdie to build elsewhere, but she is very determined. (We're assuming here that it is the same bird coming back year after year).  This spring, another nest appeared, and the kids got all excited about the little eggs they could see through the cracks of the deck.  They reminded each other to tread lightly when they went out the back door, and sure enough, this year the eggs finally hatched!  All four of them!  Here is a peek under the deck where they live...

At first they were so tiny they could only be seen through the cracks, but after a number of days their little beaks finally appeared over the top of the nest.  It was very exciting!

 

Right after taking this first photo, I went to put the girls down to nap, and it wasn't long before the older kids were upstairs, frantic.  A little birdie had fallen out of the nest.  After some quick research on line, we got out the ladder, scooped the little (uninjured) guy up, and plopped him back on top of his brothers and sisters.  No harm done.

This morning, to everyone's delight, our first little birdie (named Leon) took another dive out of the nest, but this time he was ready to be hopping around and learning how to survive as a robin.  (The first time his wings still had no feathers at all.)  We have been watching him (or her?) hop all around all day, being fed by momma, and flapping his little skinny wings trying to fly.  SO fun!

The kids have been very concerned about the bird during our crazy weather this week (hail, anyone?) and worried that the birds will get too cold or go hungry.  We've tried to remind them that they are wild animals and they know best what to do for themselves.  I sure hope we don't have to scoop up any little dead birdies, although I guess that would be another good life lesson.

What fun we're having watching our own personal bird family!