We have a dove's nest outside our front porch in one of my hanging pots I left up through the winter.  My husband, through much sweet talking daily, is allowed to pet the mama.  When it rained the other night he turned the pot to the inside of the porch to keep her dry.  We've been waiting on those two eggs to hatch.  *G*

On our back porch there is a robin's nest.  Today my son went out there to put a shovel up.  He stayed out there.  I was in my rocking chair reading, not far from the back door that was left open.  My oldest daughter went out  after several unexplained noises erupted.  I asked repeatedly what he was doing, but got no response.  Then a crash sounded, several thumps and  a barrage of bird screeching. 

When I got to the door, my oldest daughter stood on the steps in shock and my four-year-old was pointing at two baby birds on the porch floor.

"He touched them!" she said.  "The mama won't come back now.  I learned it in Science."

"Not true," I told her and went to get my garden gloves.

"But that's what my Science book said!"

"Not so."  I put both babies back in the nest, marveling at their wide mouths gaping, then stuck the nest back in the door jam where it was to begin with.  Of course, I had to use the chair my son had used to climb up in and poke at the nest.   The little snot.  I'm assuming he was trying to tilt the nest so he could see in since Daddy wasn't at home to lift him.

We left the blinds open on the door and sure enough the mama returned this evening.  My daughter was stressed the whole time, though I assured her if the mama bird didn't come back I knew how to take care of the babies.  I mean, considering how much research I had to do on starlings for ITLOF, I'm thinking I could handle it. 

"I am soo glad you wrote that book," she said.

LOL!