October 1937

CHILDREN'S EDITION

The Diary of a Robin Family

CHILDREN'S NUMBER

Vol. XVI No. 1 October 1937 No. 10

THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published Monthly Volume xvi October 1937 Number 10 The Diary of a Robin Family By Elizabeth H. Godfrey Over the week-end of April 24 and 25, a mother Robin commenced building her nest on the northwest drafting room window ledge of the Park Service Administration Building, facing the Girls' Club,— a wise bird keeping company with the engineers. All day mother Robin works ceaselessly, making round trips to the meadow grass lawn at the north end of the building for beak loads of snow-faded grass. In arranging it in the nest, she uses the touch system; viz., she doesn't seem to be looking at what she is seem to be looking at what she is On Monday, April 26, when the doing. This afternoon, she's applying was discovered by Francis Edinburgh plaster, or mud... Hasn't reward, a CCC enrollee assigned to turned for sometime now, and is the drafting room, construction was apparently giving the mud a chance well underway. Engineering Drafts- to dry out. She 's very tame, and man E. C. Smith, realizing the marvelous opportunity for observing the nesting activities. She was totally indifferent to "snoopers." for observing April 27. - She hasn 't appeared the nesting activities from start to all morning. Now, almost noon. finish, asked Francis to keep a she 's back, continuing her plaster- diary, or daily progress report. ing. The nest is gaining in size. As This diary, which was continued there is plenty of precipitation, she by the writer when Francis was has only to drop to the ground be- transferred to the Strawberry Can- low the window for loads of mud. yon CCC camp at Berkeley, Cali- Hence, her trips are very rapid. fornia on May 13 reveals some hi- She just made a forced landing teresting facts about Robins, and with a heavy load of straw and is quoted verbatim. mud. On the second attempt, she Monday, April 26. - Nest is well reached the sill, dropped her build-

ing material into the nest, and is May 3. - She 's back, and is ignoring the raisins. Spent some time sitting on the nest. Saw her hunting worms in lawn at north end of building. Pushing it in place apparently with Spent some time her breast, but possibly employ- sitting on the nest. Saw her hunting her feet also. From the size of ing worms in lawn at north end of her burdens, she might logically be building. in for a stiff neck Occasionally she May 4. - No bird this morning, stops to eat raisins. We are keep- nor as yet has a male bird shown in a constant supply of them strewn up. Maybe he's hen-pecked, and along the window ledge. Here 's a doesn 't live at home much. Blue-fronted Jay, who has invited Noon. - Have seen her from time himself in for raisins. But no. He 's to time hopping around on the not welcome. Our Robin is chasing lawn below the window. O-ho! The him off in a most inhospitable Father Robin and the Mother are fashion, and if he has any sense of both on the ledge eating heartily delicacy, he won 't come back. of raisins. They 're a good-looking April 28. - This morning she is pair, slim, young, and well-groom- lining her nest with grass, which ed. There he is now on the Oak is the finishing touch. The grass is tree opposite and only several feet of a finer quality than that used from the nest, singing in joyful, in the outer construction. It is a clear, sweet notes, as though to good-looking nest, about four express his delight in the nest and inches wide by three inches in depth, in his mate. We're all glad he has with smooth, well rounded interior appeared on the scene, and have sides, and a clever exterior combin- pronounced him all right. ation of mud and meadow grass. It

May 5, 6 and 7. - Mother Robin has taken her approximately four on the nest at intervals. She does and one-half Robin-days to com- a lot of scratching, making long plete her project. beak-reaches under wings for E. C. Smith, who has chosen him- "something " that is tormenting her. self to be godfather to the Robin Relaxed, she's a study on the nest, family, is taking up penny contri- with head, back and tail at a severe, butions from interested friends for swooping angle. a Robin Raisin Fund. In all he col- May 8. - 9:30 A. M. Excitement in lected thirty cents-enough for the air. There is one blue egg in three boxes of raisins. the nest. This is the tenth day April 29. - Our Robin returned since its completion. Father Robin to her nest only three times today sings often throughout the day. We to make sure that all is well, and raised the window about six inches to have some raisins. for future photographic purposes April 30, May 1, May 2. - No so as to accustom the Robins to Robin. having it up. Park Photographer

Ralph Anderson has also partition- May 19. - Mother Robin is look- ed off the nest from the drafting ing over her eggs wisely this morn- room by placing a curtain about a ing, and making a queer chirping foot from the window. Observers sound. She evidently knows that may look over the top of the cur- something exciting is about to lain, which conceals about half of happen. the lower sash, and down on the Four Little Robins Are Hatched nest. May 20. - Robin No. 1. May 9. - Second egg. May 21. - Robin No. 2. May 10. - Third egg. May 23. - Robin No. 3. May 11. - Fourth egg. May 24. - Robin No. 4. It has taken the Mother Robin A comparison with the dates four days to lay her four eggs. when the eggs were laid shows that Meanwhile Father Robin has been the incubation period was twelve keeping close to her, bringing her days. Godfather Smith is receiving worms in his beak and feeding congratulations, but doesn 't think them to her. For entertainment he much of the suggestion that he sings solos; When observers slip might pass around some cigars. up to the nest too quietly, the The babies are pink, palpitating, Mother Robin flies off startled, but featherless, fledglings with only if audible steps announcing their suggestions of down on their bony presence are made, she sits tight frames, heads, and wings. Their and still in an alert attitude. eyes, of course, are tightly closed. May 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. - Daily When the parent birds approach incubation. Mother Robin leaves the nest with a "tuck-tuck, half the nest only occasionally for food cluck " sound, the long, skinny and exercise, never going far away. necks of the fledglings fairly spring Often she perches on the Oak op- up out of the nest instantaneously posite with a wary eye on the nest. With mouths wide open, they wait When she returns, she snuggles perfectly poised for a ration of down on the eggs gently with a worms to be thrust far down their faint chirp, as though talking to gullets. It is noticed that the baby them. Robins are fed almost exclusively May 17. - Mother Robin is photo- on premasticated, pale green worms graphed on the nest for the first about an inch long for the first few time by Park Photographer Ander- days of life. son. She poses as well as a Robin The parent birds keep the nest might, tilting her head from one side to the other in praiseworthy nonchalance.

May 18. - Continued incubation. The parent birds keep the nest side to the other in praiseworthy the excreta, which is a white, sticky nonchalance. substance, in their beaks, and some May 18. - Continued incubation. times devouring it. Neither is there

a particle of egg shell remaining in the nest. May 25. - Valley bird lovers keep tripping in and out to watch the Robins. The feeding process goes on continuously all day. The parent bird stands on the edge of the nest and thrusts live, wiggling worms far down the throats of the babies. Often after having fed the worms to one hungry mouth, the parent Robin thrusts an empty beak down other empty throats, as a consolation gesture. The older birds are now having some light brown worms. May 26. - Today the older birds are almost covered with soft, dark grayish down. A few feathers are outcropping on their wings. The father Robin is certainly doing his share in providing worms. We know him instantly, not only by his darker breast, but because there is an unruly feather out of place on his well-groomed back. We hear the young ones chirping for the first time, this afternoon. The oddest Robin is six days old. May 27. - A few more feathers have appeared, and the nest is beginning to be just a bit crowded. One of the babies is determined to poke its head out from under the mother's breast, as though for a breath of air. The others don 't seem to mind being smothered. When the mother is not on the nest, the birds cuddle up snugly together. May 28. - Babies are very active today. Down is being replaced with gray and white feathers, especially on the wings. Park Photographer Ralph Anderson took some more pictures today. May 29. - One Robin, undoubtedly No. 1, who is nine days old, has his eyes partly open. May 30 and 31st - Sunday and a holiday. June 1. - The fledglings are well covered now with feathers. Robin No. 1 is very restless, and is making a desperate effort to get out of the nest. After a bit, gives up, and slumps back into the nest. It 's a picture to see four little Robins asleep with their throats resting on the edge of the nest for a pillow, while the Father sings to them nearby. June 2. - All the Robin children have opened their eyes. Even No. 4 is well-feathered with only a patch of down on its little head. this sticks up through the feathers. P. M. - Mr. Scott of the Interior Department Motion Picture Division took some movies of the Ro-

bin family. One of the babies posed near now, and, we hope, giving with its mouth open, while the Robin No. 1 some necessary flying others scratched. The nest seems advice. We can't help but admire over-flowing with Robins. God-father Smith deems it advisable to install a small tree limb from the window ledge to the Oak, just in case this very daring Robin No. 1 starts to fly before it should. Its pluck and courage anyway. father Smith deems it advisable to June 5. - Robin No. 2 wants to install a small tree limb from the take flight, but he hesitates. It's window ledge to the Oak, just in out on the window ledge, flapping case this very daring Robin No. 1 its wings. Robins 3 and 4 are much starts to fly before it should. more comfortable in the nest and June 3. - The limb decided upon just fill it. Imagine how they like yesterday is installed, and the parent Robins are regarding it warily as though to say, "How did this grow over night?" In addition, a wire basket has been placed directly under the nest. It is an old desk basket found over in the warehouse, and still has an appropriate card with "out-going" printed on it. When Robin No. 2 crowds back in. Godfather Smith is mighty dis- Robin No. 2 crowds back en. Robins are regarding it warily in. Godfather Smith is mighty disas though to say, "How did this gusted, and says as he turns away, grow over night?" In addition, a "You great big sissy." wire basket has been placed di- June 6. - Sunday. rectly under the nest. It is an old June 7. - Monday. The nest is desk basket found over in the empty. warehouse, and still has an appro- From this diary we find that it priate card with "out-going" print- takes a Robin four and one-half ed on it. days to build her nest; the male June 4. - You would never recognize the young Robins as the homely fledglings they were. Their feathers have far more white in them than the mature Robins, their breasts are speckled with orange, black and white. Robins Nos. 1 and 2 have the courage to get out on the window ledge, and flap their wings in eager anticipation. We 're glad that mailing basket is there. P. M. - Flash - FILING BASKET SAVES ROBIN NO. 1 FROM FALLING. Alas! We hold our breath, and watch that fearless, young rascal only two weeks old make a second flight attempt. This time he misses the basket and falls smack on the ground. Hurrah! It 's getting up. The parent birds are near now, and, we hope, giving Robin No. 1 some necessary flying advice. We can't help but admire its pluck and courage anyway. June 5. - Robin No. 2 wants to take flight, but he hesitates. It's out on the window ledge, flapping its wings. Robins 3 and 4 are much more comfortable in the nest and just fill it. Imagine how they like it when Robin No. 2 crowds back in. Godfather Smith is mighty disgusted, and says as he turns away, "You great big sissy." June 6. - Sunday. June 7. - Monday. The nest is empty. From this diary we find that it takes a Robin four and one-half days to build her nest; the male doesn 't help build the nest except nize the young Robins as the home- to sing his encouragement; that ten ly fledglings they were. Their days after completion of the nest feathers have far more white in the first egg is laid; that it takes them than the mature Robins, four days for a Robin to lay her their breasts are speckled with or- eggs; that the incubation period is ange, black and white. Robins Nos. twelve days; that Robins commence 1 and 2 have the courage to get cheeping at six days ' old; that their out on the window ledge, and flap eyes open on the ninth day; that their wings in eager anticipation. they take flight when two weeks' We 're glad that mailing basket. is old; that female does all the incu- there. bating; that he sometimes feeds her P. M. - Flash - FILING BASKET on nest and that he helps feed SAVES ROBIN NO. 1 FROM young on the nest. FALLING. Alas! We hold our After the flight of the Robins the breath, and watch that fearless, father often brought them to the young rascal only two weeks old Oak tree opposite the window. At make a second flight attempt. This three weeks' old they looked as time he misses the basket and falls large as he, with soft, fluffy feath- smack on the ground. Hurrah! It 's ers. He was still feeding them, getting up. The parent birds are and would fly from the ledge to

the Oak with raisins. Later he Now they do not come near. taught them to fly to the ledge and It was noticed that the Father how to eat raisins. After the raisin Robin seemed to have almost total supply gave out the latter part of charge of feeding the young after June, we decided to stop this supthey had taken flight, and the plemental feeding, and bought no mother bird was seldom seen. As more. For several days, two of the robins often nest twice in a season, young Robins sat for hours in the it is presumed she was busy with Oak tree waiting for the raisins. new nesting activities elsewhere. Bears Vocabulary By Ranger Lon Garrison Many old timers have told me that mother bears communicate with their cubs by clicking their teeth, How extensively this is done, I do not know, but it is definitely true of commands to the youngsters to go up trees, and with variations for them to reverse the process. At Glacier Point last summer there was very prominently in evidence a mother bear with three cubs. While feeding near Washburn Turn, she was disturbed by a bigger, ugly, rusty, old fellow who chased her away from the area. Tagging the three cubs, she came across within 20 feet of me. and then finding that the other bear was pursuing her, she spanked the last cub, to get it to move ahead' out of the way, and then very distinctly clicked her teeth twice— "Click, click." It was a clear open sound like it was made in the forward part of the mouth. The cubs climbed up a nearby tree but soon stopped. Another pair of clicks sent them farther up. About ten minutes later, the danger apparently being over, she called them back down by another sound that was more like, "Clungk, clunk, clunk! " It was a duller, more muffled syllable from farther back in the throat and sounded like it might be a combination of tooth champing and a grunt. Obediently, the three youngsters des-

tended and joined her at the foot tion the cubs went back up the of the tree. Suddenly the other bear tree. Again a wait of about ten stuck its head around the corner minutes, and "Clungk, Clungk, of a nearby rock. Clungk, Clungk! " The cubs were on "Click, click! " tion the cubs went back up the tree. Again a wait of about ten minutes, and "Clunk, Clunk, Clunk, Clunk!" The cubs were on their way down again as I left. HAWKS and EAGLES with long strong wings are most often seen in air circling and soaring. OWLS more often heard than seen as most of them forage at night Have large eyes, brownish coloration, flight noiseless. SWIFTS are swiftest fliers which dart high in air about cliff walls capturing insects on wing. HUMMINGBIRDS are the smallest of birds with iridescent plumage which buzz about flowers extracting nectar and tiny insects with their long needle-shaped bills. KINGFISHERS fly or perch above water to plunge beneath surface to capture small fish in their long bills. WOODPECKERS with long, strong bills, climb up and down the trunks of trees bracing with their tails and tapping the bark vigorously. FLYCATCHERS sit erect with drooping, teetering tails, watching alertly for insect prey upon which JAYS are good-sized blue birds, with raucous call and bold behavior, inhabiting open fields and wooded areas. Very common about camps. CHICKADEES and TITMICE are small, noisy, active, restless birds feeding largely in foliage or on inner limbs. They have fluffy, gray ish plumage and short straight bills, with which they often hammer seeds with woodpecker-like blows while holding them with their feet. NUTHATCHES are smaller than woodpeckers and have much the same habit of climbing up and Distinctive Behavior of Many Yosemite Birds they pounce in mid-air, afterwards returning to their perch. SWALLOWS with long pointed wings, skim through the air in graceful and long sustained flights.

down tree-trunks but with a freer wig-wagging motion, often descending head downward. CREEPERS as the name implies, creep upward on the trunks of trees and the larger limbs, searching for insects in the crevices of the bark. DIPPERS, (Water Ouzels), of dark slaty gray plumage are seen dipping into rushing streams for food or bobbing up and down on mid-stream rocks. THRUSHES, with the exception of the ROBIN and BLUEBIRD, are very plainly dressed and have spotted breasts. They run about on the ground stopping suddenly in listening attitudes. KINGLETS, tiny, chubby birds with large eyes, move restlessly about in foliage, ever keeping on the move, VIREOS are chubby, large-eyed birds, the color of foliage. They are at home in the boughs of trees and sing freely as they glide in and out among the leaves to feed. WARBLERS are small, tireless, gaily-colored explorers of the twigs of trees and bushes. A few exhibit flycatcher-like habits. BLACKBIRDS have bright plum age and usually inhabit open fields. The sexes differ in coloration. Winter flocking is the rule. TANAGERS remarkable for the brilliant plumage of the males, are birds of the coniferous forests during the summer. SPARROWS and FINCHES have stout seed-cracking bills, feed on or near the ground, seldom fly high or far at a time, and are for the most part fine songsters. Juncos and Grosbeaks belong in this group.

Digitized by Yosemite Online Library Dan Anderson