Feathered Stalker!

[Kirk]

Being followed everywhere I go.
Rules seem to be I dig the ground, he/she eats the bugs, I don't eat him/her.

[Bren In Pots]

Is it a baby robin ? the more you contact between you both the tamer they seem to get.

[Thelma Sanders]

Being followed everywhere I go.
Rules seem to be I dig the ground, he/she eats the bugs, I don't eat him/her.

Ha ha ha - seems a fair deal
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...94132.html#top

[Kirk]

It has been following me for a couple of weeks now. Getting bolder every time. Gets fairly close now, about 4 to 6 inches. Couldn't take some pictures as it was too close for the camera/lens to focus.

Have at least 2 of them as one keeps chasing the other off, wants all the bugs to itself I guess. Not sure what will occur when/if the adult ones reappear.

When it first appeared you could tell that it thought I was mad. All those bugs and I didn't eat them. I was digging over a new fruit bed at the time and there were, it seems, a lot of free food going. Eventually it decided to eat them. So would watch where I dug then jump in. Now it sits with me while I dig and gets in the way.

Slightly offputting when using a hand trowel to turn over a small patch (for a few turnip seedlings). I am kneeling there, one arm outstretched for balance, other one with trowel digging and you suddenly find a robin literally under your nose. It is the look on its face of "What is your problem?"

Gives you a reason to dig over another bit, although the decaying wood around sems to be another favourite for wiggly items.

Better build a couple of suitable robin nestboxes I suppose and place around.

[burnie]

Only need to build one Robin nest box, they are extremely territorial and will only use one in a given area.

[Gillykat]

Yes, as soon as Baby starts to develop his red breast feathers his parents will chase him off the territory. He is lovely though - I was 'mugged' by one just like this the first time I went to Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. We'd barely got out of the car when the Robin was coming up close for food....I felt SO guilty because we didn't have anything!

[Kirk]

Only need to build one Robin nest box, they are extremely territorial and will only use one in a given area.

I actually seem to on a boundry of 2 territories. Seem to have been for years. So I do get more then 1, or 1 pair, at a time, feeding at least. Although for a nest box I would expect just a single pair to nest.

More then one box may be built simply to offer a choice.

On one of the Garden Bird Watch's I eventually realised I had 4 in the garden all being "diplomatic" and managing to avoid each other ands so avoid confrontation.

I would have 1 on the left, it would disappear into the mess pn the left and I would suddenly see one over on the right. Took a fair time to actually observe all 4 at a single time. Was helped by 2 having squabble on the fence while the other 2 ate food on opposites side of the garden.

Actually seems I have 2 young ones. 1 will literally fly to greet me the other flies over but keeps a bit more distance.

Cleared an old path I forgot I had - burried under a foot of composting pine needles. There are LOTS of bugs in that many pine needles, and 2 fairly well stuffed young robins. Found it easier to fill a tub and tip the pine needles elsewhere as a mulch. Meant the robins can have a pile each. But the friendly one still sat on a rock less then a foot away and dived in whenever it could.