Free Bird

No - not Lynyrd Skynyrd, but, Round Robin is now a free bird. For the last 3 days I've been putting him in the bushy part behind the house, and when I go back there I 'TWEET' (real tweeting, not twitter) and he comes flying over to me for some food. Last night he spent his first time out all night and I was relieved to see him fly over to me this morning for breakfast.

Yesterday, he was hilarious. I was in the hot tub and he kept hopping in the tub and then I'd fish him out and he'd flutter his wings hummingbird style to dry them. Then he'd hop around the deck looking for bugs. He was quite content to spend time on the deck with us. Here he is perched on my head.

My Expert Observations

Now that I've "owned" (really s/he owns me) for just over a week, I think I've become a Robin expert! When I go - "tweet, tweet" - the Robin answers me. If I look at it and go "tweet, tweet", not only does it answer me, but it also does stretches. Stretches the legs, then stretches each wing, and then fluffs out its feathers. If it is really hungry, it will chirp incessantly (because its asking me to pull-eeze come up and feed it). I don't do that now, so after about 5 minutes of nonstop chirping, s/he will fly down and perch on my head..."Hello - remember me? - I think it's birdy num-num time."

I had to go to work today, and left Round Robin in the backroom (behind closed doors so the cats could not get it). I left a pan of chopped earthworms on the floor. I was gone about 5 hours and when I returned, it didn't look like Round had eaten any of the earthworms, and boy - did I get a frenzied welcome when I opened the door. Much flapping of wings and chirping. I stuffed about 10 worms into his mouth and brought him into the atrium and put him among the plants.About 15 minutes later, he came down perched on my head and demanded I feed him more. So, he got 3 blueberries and some Fancy Feast cat food. That seemed to satisfy him. (I know I'm going between him/her/it - I have no idea what sex the bird is).

I think I'm going to have to get tough and put him outside in the big evergreen tree. He can fly. I'll go out every hour or so and see if he flies down for "birdy num-nums". He has to learn to find his own food, get along with other Robins and make his trek south in the fall migration. Wouldn't it be cool if he comes back every year for a visit! Hope he brings back more than a lousy t-shirt.

Round Robin - 1 Week Later

Hope you enjoy this video of Round Robin One Week Later. I phoned a licensed rehab wild-life person (Jan) and she told me I can put a plate of worms (shiver) down on the floor and he will learn to self feed - it's instinctive. Then, I will release him outside. I've been having a lot of fun with him. He flies down for feedings and perches on my head, squawks like crazy when being fed and then once he's done, he has a poop, and then flies back up amongst the plants.

Tweet!

Well, Round Robin - or Tweet is still around and totally taking over our lives. He (?) is quite demanding and when hungry chirps incessently until fed. We have allowed him free reign of the house (when the cats are outside) and he just sits up in the atrium among the plants (pooping). We have been fetching him and bringing him down for feeding, but today, he has decided that he will come down when he's hungry. He now flies down and perches on my head - signalling that..."HEY - I am hungry - FEED ME!"

When we cannot watch him and guarantee his safety from the cats, we have put him in the back room. When I open the door - he CHIRPS loud and then flies towards me - and perches on my head.

I have to go and find live crickets and teach him how to feed himself. I am hoping to get some "cool" video of him flying down and perching on my head.

Stay tuned.

Round Robin Day 2

Round Robin had a peaceful nights sleep in my office (tucked inside a puppy crate). This way none of the cats could terrorize him (her). I draped a towel over the crate and within no time he had tucked his head under his wing and went to sleep.

He greeted me with enthusiastic chirping this morning when I removed the towel...."HEY, I'm hungry!". He gulped down his catfood. I changed his bedding. Then I brought him outside and he perched on my finger chirping away. I was hoping that maybe Mommy Robin would hear him and fly around, but, no robin-red-breast came round.

I brought him back inside and secured him back in the office, as I had to go to town. I bought him some blueberries and raspberries, along with two tins of catfood (beef and chicken). I figure he needs a variety of food.

Birds certainly have a quick digestive system. Within 1/2 hour of eating a raspberry - the colour comes out the other end.

He's quite the character - chirps when he sees me and opens his mouth...FEED ME! FEED ME! - mouth gaping wide in hopes that I will poke food down his throat. He will perch on my finger and then run up my arm and perch on my shoulder.

Lola is quite fascinated with him and was just drooling up a storm while she looked at him. I am hoping to get some great pictures later on. The cats figure I'm just fattening him up for their pleasure.

I really don't know what I am going to do with Round Robin. If I don't feel he can fend for himself in the next week, I guess I will take him to the zoo in Saskatoon - hopefully, they have a bird section he can live in.

Round Robin

Baby Bird

A baby robin must have fallen out of its nest and into the dog yard. I found this poor little fellow being carried around in Lola's mouth. I brought him inside and tried to dry his feathers (I should have washed him first) since dog siliva is quite sticky. He's recovering - sitting up and will even perch on my finger. I suppose I could try and climb up the tree and put him back in the nest, but I don't want the mom to abandon the entire nest (if I disturb it). The little guy has some feathers missing. He's sitting in a bowl on my desk while I write this post.

Anyone know what I can feed this little guy? I tried to get bugs off the front of my car, but, he didn't want them. I wonder if he might eat tinned cat food?