Friend of the Wareham Land Trust Marion Gold, shares his story of remarkable and rapid growth from hatchling to fledgling.
This spring brought an unexpected and heartwarming surprise to our doorstep – the discovery of a robin’s nest nestled in a small evergreen tree just outside our office door, For three singular weeks in May, we had front row seats to one of nature’s most delicate and determined processes: the hatching and early growth of a robin family.
Living just north of New York City, we’re no strangers to wildlife. Our yard sees regular visits from racoons, foxes, pileated woodpeckers, and the occasional coyote or bobcat. Still, nothing prepared us for the intimacy of this encounter – a nest so close you couldn’t miss the rustle of wings as the mother robin settled in.
It began the beginning of May, when we first noticed the construction of a tidy little nest tucked among the evergreen branches, just at eye level. As an avid photographer, I immediately knew this was a rare opportunity. Carefully and cautiously, I began to document the process. Every day or two, when the mother left to forage, I would gently push through the branches with my mobile phone and snap a single photo.
By May 8th, three perfect blue eggs had appeared. Not long after, the chicks hatched: tiny, featherless, eyes closed, barely more than beaks and bones. Over the next two weeks, they transformed. Their down turned to feathers. Their heads lifted with strength. Their world – and ours – grew larger by the day.
Then on May 28th, they were gone. The nest was empty, the tree quiet once again. But in those three short weeks, we were lucky enough to witness a full cycle of life unfold just outside our door – a reminder of the wonders that can appear when we slow down and pay attention.
I kind of miss the little critters. I was there, witness to their very first days of their hopefully long and wonderful lives. And this summer, whenever I see a robin hopping and bopping around the yard, I’ll look a little closer, and see if he or she recognizes me.
It’s the least they can do.
By Marion Gold
©2025 Marion Gold. All rights reserved.