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Wednesday 15 July 2009

Garden Center Baby Story .......

This is not your typical "baby story" .. this is a story about amazing parents who are trying to raise a family in a beautiful safe environment .. they want their kids to have the best.
This is a small garden center at one of the grocery stores I go to. The garden center is a great little piece of plant heaven .. with wonderful staff that truly cares about its clients.
Whether they be people or birds .. I should have made it back sooner to get pictures of the little ones still in the nest. But this morning they decided it was time to stretch their wings.

Mom and dad robin were concerned, but more than willing to create a safe perimeter (well as much as they could ) for the first flights of the three babies ..
See the nest ? ... nothing as touching as an empty one .. so well made .. so loving .. so what that they made their home at a garden center ? what better place could there be really .. close to nature and yet close to the convenience stores ? ;-)
One little guy/gal ? landed in a flower pot which they thought was a good enough trial flight runway .. so they were sticking there for a while.
Best to stretch the wings out just in case though .... it is all brand new and a bit scary.
A little stretch here ... a little stretch there ...
Mean while back at the ranch ..... (I guess you have to fall into a certain age category to get that crack) .. in any case .. other sibling is happy sitting in yet another flower pot.
I think they have a preference for day lilies ?
Would you please just leave me alone with that camera now ???

21 comments:

Barry said...

Joy:
What a wonderful story, and your photos add the perfect touch. I think there is something about slowing down and appreciating nature, wherever we as gardeners find it that many non-gardeners miss out on! We have had lots of nests on the benches of the nursery, but we also have two feline mascots - so we are forever on the lookout for one of them skulking in one specific spot for too long - always a tell-tale sign of a nest nearby! I hope the babies you have documented remain safe as they spread their wings and fly!

Darlene said...

Oh my word how CUTE they are!!!!! I LOVE seeing brand new babies take flight. Glad they were in a safe environment. It is always scary to me to see some of the places that babies have to fly from!

Gail said...

Delightful! Thank you for sharing these images, I loved them! Is it really only 107 days till Halloween! gail

Phillip Oliver said...

Wow, you got some incredible shots!

Jill-O said...

Awwwwwww!That is so cool that you were able to catch the momenteous occasion digitally.

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Ahhhhhh what sweet pictures. I just love babie birdies(-: I am glad you were able to get those pictures they are just darling!!!

Plowing Through Life (Martha) said...

Ha ha...I love it! What a sweet, wonderful post. The best part of my day is the birds in my backyard, especially when the parents come in with their babies. Those little ones are so sweet, so inexperienced.

Would you believe Joy that I just sat down (it's 10:47)? I was out in the garden (the entire day) cleaning up. Then we went out for supper and cycling! Like I hadn't had enough exercise?!

But it was worth it! I made a big dent in the backyard; cleared so much garden garbage. I filled up three huge yard waste bags and tomorrow I get to do it all over again. We also popped over to Home Depot after supper and picked up some soil. I will be planting the garden babies you gave me tomorrow, as well as adding some grass seed in some areas. It was a lot of work - and there's tons more to do - but it was worth it.

Once I get the back of the house cleaned up and on its way, I have both sides plus the front of the house. Oh my aching muscles. There are muscles hurting right now that I didn't even know I had.

I will send an email soon with all my garden adventures! This is so much fun!

Anonymous said...

OMGosh, they are so cute.

Rosemary Waigh said...

So sweet! Thanks for posting.

Pat said...

Way

to

go

Bird Girl !!
Perfect pictures...babies are always so sweet. You must have had a blast following them.

I always wonder how long they walk and flap around before taking flight. I worry that when they're gone it's not for some other reason.

gittan said...

Oh Joy, they are wonderful. But is there anyone who likes those paparaziz? "LOL" (don't know how it spells) Today me an dthe carpenter are heading to Copenhagen to look for a pond to the walled bed. Oh yeas they do sell ponds in Sweden to but this place is really something special!

Karen - An Artists Garden said...

Brilliant
:)
K

Sunita Mohan said...

That was just too cute! I love those photos of the babies in the flowerpots. I think they were bonding with nature before taking off into the big bad world!

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Love the little fuzzies on the side of the baby's head. Speckle-chested baby Robins are super cute.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Thank you puppy : ) You are so right about something in gardeners that appreciates life and nature in a different degree and intensity than non-gardeners.
I hadn't run across an up close situation like this before .. I knew birds did hang out at garden centers but to see one on a life cycle this close was such a gift : )
I so hope they keep safe until they can handle "life" too !

Darlene girl .. I have to admit my heart jumped in my chest seeing them try to fly further and how attentive and worried the parents were .. the bugs they carried in their beeks were rewards or temptations to get the babies where they would be safe and yet learn. It was amazing to see : )

106 this morning Gail !! LOL
I was glad to get photos that were clear and you could see how sweet these little guys were .. I'm afraid to go back because I know the girls might tell me something bad happened .. fingers crossed they make it safely to a less busy area !

Thank you Phillip ! I'm so glad they turned out and I could post them : )

Jill, I wish I can gone back sooner to catch the babies in the nest .. but this was great too : )

Hey Cindee .. I'm happy to have gotten this too .. so many people had NO clue .. now that was funny ! LOL

Martha .. my god girl ! You are going to wear yourself out .. slow down , take a deep breath ! LOL
These little satellite centers will be closing soon .. they are at Food Basics and No Frills .. you might get some great plants on sale (shrubs and vines are there too) .. you,George & daughter should have a look too ! : )

Grace .. they were just the sweetest little souls : )

Hello Rosemary ! Thanks : )

Patsi girl .. that is what is going to make me a little crazy too .. thinking that something might go wrong .. I'm afraid to go back but I know I will .. scary !!

Hi there gittan : ) Isn't that the truth .. who wants a camera stuck in their face right ? Wow ! this is going to be interesting how you do your pond, make sure to take lots of pictures girl !!

Thanks Karen : ) it was such a treat to see and photograph !

Hello Sunita .. it was ironic and touching .. seeing them in the plant pots was like "are we going home with you if you buy this plant ?" LOL

tina said...

Aww, so sweet the little family!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Janet how did you get squeezed in the middle of the pack like that girl ! .. YES ! I was happy to see I still could take "baby" pictures of them yet : )

Tina girl .. it was the nicest opportunity I had to take a family picture shoot : )

RURAL said...

They are adorable, and you got some great shots.

We have had countless nests built in the hanging baskets, there were always signs on them. Nursery in progress, and they were not for sale, until the occupants moved out.

Jen

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Jen .. thank you ! I never really thought about this happening in garden centers/nurseries until I actually saw it in progress .. it is such a beautiful story to see unfold .. that was a great idea with the signs ! : )

Kerri said...

Oh, just wonderful photos and story, Joy! Lucky you for being there at the right time to capture these shots, and lucky us that you were kind enough to share them with us.
Thank you! :)
I love the robins! Aren't their nests amazingly made? So clever to be able to do that with just a beak and clawed feet!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Kerri girl : ) Thank you ! .. I am totally amazed at how solid a construction the nest is .. I haven't seen the inside like this before and I was truly surprised .. I'm kicking myself for not going back earlier and having shots of the wee ones inside the nest .. I hope they make it and come visit my garden next year ? : )
PS .. their claws are huge for "babies" !!