Robin Nest

Robins built a nest on the downspout next to the garage. I didn't follow events closely, but I took a few pictures June 26 and 27.

I was on a ladder in the driveway about 20 feet from the nest. The parents were wary.

I read that, in the beginning, chicks' poop comes in neat packages; that's what's in the parent's beak. Parents carry away or swallow the packages, both of which I witnessed. The hatchlings' digestive systems are inefficient and the poop contains significant nutrients that are useful to the parents.

Spider Webs

These pictures are crummy, but I find spider webs interesting.

The first two are from 2008 using a Kodak camera I thought was pretty good at the time. A spider had made a web between a computer and a chair. I tried to put black paper under the web as a background, but that didn't work.

This one is interesting because of what happened. The web was hung between a tree and a tall plant next to the front porch. As I was still messing around, the owner came along and cut the web down.

This web was at the Columbus Zoo, woven between two trees. I saw it only because another zoo visitor was looking at it.

Minnesota Zoo Birds

The Minnesota Zoo's Tropical Trail is in a quite large building. I'd spent time there during my first visit, but the birds were elsewhere. I stayed outside during my second visit. In September this year, I focused on tropical birds.

lesser flamingo

ring-necked teal

pied imperial pigeon

metallic starling

Sri Lanka junglefowl

black-naped fruit dove (female)

black-naped fruit dove (male)

Venezuelan troupial