Robins nest!

[emmagleb]

Hi everyone, one of my freinds unwrapped his boat (a spice) this morning and found a robins nest, complete with adorably cute chicks, curled up in his spinaker sail. He called me and I told him to wrap them up again and not disturb them, otherwise the mother might reject the chicks. He's keen to use the boat though (but won't until I tell him he can), does anyone have any idea how long it might be? Last time we had a nest very low in a tree in our garden, the mother robin moved the chicks a few days after we found them, presumably to another nest - is this likely to happen again? Thanks :-)

[heathfield]

The chicks will stay in the nest for only about 12 to 15 days before they fly. It's highly unlikely your robin would be able to have moved its chicks. If they hadn't flown, they'd probably have been taken by a predator.

[Cetti]

Hi emmagleb, does your friend have another boat he could use as while it's true the babies will fledge after 13 days mum and dad will still be feeding them for a further 16 - 24 days?

Failing that you could always make them little life jackets.

[emmagleb]

Thanks for your help heathfield and Cetti

UPDATE.... my friend Alex rang the guy he's just bought the boat from. He said that he used to have a robins nest in the sail every year, same parents that kept coming back. The guy said that the robins were perfectly happy if moved into an ice-cream tub while the boat was out sailing, then moved back. Alex did this while the parent robins watched, then when he came back moved the family back again, no problems! Turns out the robins have followed the boat across Portsmouth, must be a favourite spot!

[Cetti]

What a wonderful story emma, it shows just how adaptable Robins are. A very happy ending :-D