Robins are hogging the swimming hole
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| The watering hole in out front yard |
There is a small fresh water pool in my from yard, partially sheltered by the branches of a juniper. Nearby there are some small birch trees and a few standing stones. When I come out the front door in the morning all the birds (chickadees, juncoes, and yellow-rumped warblers to name a few) tell me it’s time to replenish the water.
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| A robin checking me out before claiming the pool |
It has been common for the birds to share the watering hole, but recently they have had problems. A family of robins nests somewhere on the property, and this past week the entire brood has been hogging the bath tub.
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| While a robin wallows in the water a junco waits its turn |
It seems like each robin will take at least five minutes dunking itself, and since there are two parents and four fledglings, this family affair can take quite a while. I’ve even observed the robins sometimes chasing other birds away.
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| An LBJ (little brown jobbie) waits its turn on the standing stone |
As you can imagine, the line to use the pool can get long at times. I’ve sometimes seen at least four robins and a half dozen other birds flitting around the front yard, waiting their chance to get to the water.
