Learner's Permit

For the last few years my yard has played host to a family of Robins. My three-year streak of having a Robin's nest around the house was broken this year because the birds chose an evergreen tree in my neighbor's yard. But the parents and fledgling decided to use my backyard as their day spot.  For the last 2 weeks, I have listened to the young Robin try out his new voice, watched him make short, low-to-the-ground flights across the yard, hop around in the flower beds, snooze on the edge of a flower pot, perch on the birdbath and in the lower branches of the dogwood tree. I wake up to his youthful squawks every morning and hear him throughout the day when I'm home. I love his voice and watching him learn about life outside the nest.

Yesterday morning I witnessed a very awkward flight. When I saw him on the birdbath near the patio, I grabbed my camera and slowly approached the sliding glass doors to take a few pictures. But he saw my movement and jumped up in an initially pretty good flight, but he didn't know where to go. He unsteadily flew around the bird feeders, hovered around the birdbath before heading towards the roof. But his flight was too low and slow and consequently bonked his head on the gutter before hovering over the BBQ grill and deciding to land on the birdbath hardware that was screwed into the side of the house.

That little excursion tired the little fella out because he paused for a short nap.

But his nap wasn't long because he started squawking. Was he demanding food, or just talking? In either case he seemed to be content to perch on his emergency landing spot.

Look at his little mohawk!

After watching him for awhile, I told Danno of the clumsy flight spectacle I witnessed. He simply replied, "Well, he just has his learner's permit. He's still learning."