The babies have left the nest. Last weekend we just caught the first jr. robin hopin' outside his twiggie confines. When I went out to take some pictures, he watched me curiously for a bit while his siblings kept low, letting me get close until he took off as best he could; a little flapping, but mostly hopping. A couple days later we saw that the nest was empty and as I came back inside from taking a closer look, I noticed the last little guy perched upon a pot just outside the front door. I thought I was the spy, however, he was doing a much better job. 13 days from hatching, after much nuturing from their parents, they are gone, with occasional appearances for a few more days, leaving their marks upon our porch and furniture. It's a little lonely now. Out of habit we still look out the playroom window to see our feathered friends only to be reminded that they are gone. We still even take care in entering the house on a dark evening, remembering that a squatting parent, trying to go unnoticed, may become spooked and fly around the porch, trapped by the ceiling. I've let the nest remain in my planter, the empty state that it is, looking forward to another occupying family next spring.