It's been 8 days since our first eggs hatched, and the kids are growing by leaps and bounds. With each day that passes, they're starting to look less like indistinguishable pink blobs and more like actual birds. The robins are now covered in feathers, and their wings have grown quite a bit. The kids also opened their eyes recently, and they seem to be very alert and active. Esther is still lagging a few days behind her siblings, but she seems to be doing quite well. I think she senses that she still has some catching up to do. Consequently, she isn't shy about pushing her siblings out of the way when it's feeding time.
Mrs. Robin is no longer sitting on the nest. Apparently now that the kids have feathers, they no longer need Mom to keep them warm. However, feeding the kids continues to be a full-time job for Mr. and Mrs. Robin. The kids have become quite adept at begging for worms. As soon as they sense any motion near the nest, all of the kids tilt their heads back and open their mouths as wide as they can. It's rather entertaining to watch.
As the kids continue to grow, I'm reminded that our time with them is limited. According to wikipedia, baby robins typically leave the nest after about two weeks. However, after leaving the nest, it takes them another two weeks or so to master the art of flying. In the mean time, they continue to follow their parents around and beg for food (much like human children who continue to beg their parents for money after they've left the nest).
A few of the kids are already starting to show some interest in flying. We've caught several glimpses of the kids hanging their heads over the side of the nest, trying to see what lies below. And we've noticed that Robin Banks likes to stand in the nest and flap his wings from time to time. So far, he hasn't been able to generate enough momentum to leave the nest, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.
Baby Robins require a lot of worms!
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