Between beautiful Colorado and beautiful Idaho we had to travel through a desolate windy stretch of Wyoming where we spent one night.
So on arriving in Montpelier Idaho, we were thrilled to be able to park the RoadTrek next to this lovely little stream.
The peace and quiet (and cool) would really have been enough, but in addition we were enormously entertained by a family of newly-fledged robins right outside our door.
Robins are a very common backyard bird in the western states, but not so much in Florida. (I'm not enough of an expert to say they are never there, but I've never seen one or heard anyone talking about them.) When we wintered on the Texas gulf coast years ago, expert birders were all excited one day because they'd seen one. At first, I thought they were joking because at the time I assumed robins were common everywhere.
These Idaho babies must have fledged very recently because they really really wanted their mother to feed them. Even though they were pretty much the same size as she was. Can't you almost hear this one yelling "feed me"?
Mom would hop over to a patch of grass, apparently trying to show the babies where the worms were. She was pretty good at ignoring their pitiful cries!
Just like our first annual glimpse of the mountains, these common birds that aren't so common to us any more felt like a welcome back!
***
For WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY. Thanks to Stewart.
Love these guys! I don't see them out here, but I believe they are around...
Posted by: Pat | July 09, 2013 at 04:26 PM
What wonderful things you're seeing on this trip!
Posted by: Clair Z. | July 08, 2013 at 08:54 PM
You're seeing some wonderful parts of this great country!
Love the young Robin! We don't get to see the babies here in central Florida as they typically only pass through during migration.
Thank you so much for sharing your journey!
Posted by: Wally | July 07, 2013 at 11:44 AM
Robins are my favorite birds. They are so beautiful and proud and down-to-earth.
Posted by: SandyCarlson | July 05, 2013 at 07:02 PM
That's one heck of a long road-trek you two take every year!
Robins use to stop by our yard during their winter migration, but we haven't seen them in years.
Posted by: Pam | July 05, 2013 at 09:03 AM
Your robins are not ours i Years ago, I remember to stop in a very nice campground in Montpellier, but i'm not able to say if it was in Idaho or not. I remember particularly the charming showers...
Posted by: Annie | July 05, 2013 at 07:25 AM
how lovely. Such a good place to spend an evening and a night. Can see that you loved it.
Posted by: NatureFootstep Birds | July 04, 2013 at 11:15 PM
We see Robins here in SC but more in early spirng than any other time..they are normally in large flocks. I love the Whinny sound they make!
Posted by: Sondra | July 03, 2013 at 06:36 PM
Get capture! I love robins also!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Posted by: Linda | July 03, 2013 at 01:06 PM
The photo of the stream is great, especially in the large view. Yes, some winters we do not see robins at all in south Florida. When we do they are often in large flocks eating berries in the trees and do not forage on the suburban lawns as is so common up north.
Posted by: Kenneth Cole Schneider | July 03, 2013 at 11:39 AM
I like the word fledged. It sounds like they leave the nest with a gold star.
Posted by: Sharon Wagner | July 03, 2013 at 11:04 AM
Great shots. I love seeing the young robins. I didn't know there was a Montpelier, Idaho. My daughter took a course at Montpellier in France.
Posted by: Carver | July 03, 2013 at 09:53 AM
Such cute pictures !
Posted by: Gattina | July 03, 2013 at 09:15 AM
Wonderful pictures, Sallie. We have a couple of backyard Robins that are quite tame and hang around even when I am cutting lawns. Nice company....
Posted by: Hildred | July 03, 2013 at 08:57 AM
I always find it a treat to see a robin! Thanks for the diary of photos!
Posted by: Hazel | July 03, 2013 at 08:24 AM
They are not common to me too.
And I enjoy seeing them.
Posted by: Rainfield (雨田 Malaysia） | July 03, 2013 at 07:56 AM
We take our robins for granted here in Illinois, Sallie, but, I still get excited when I see the nestlings and love to watch the robins, politely taking turns, in the birdbaths.
Posted by: Penny | July 03, 2013 at 07:50 AM
Nice pictures - you dont have to be rare to be good looking.
Thanks for the link to WBW.
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
Posted by: Stewart M | July 03, 2013 at 03:12 AM
We've seen a few robins in Ocala, but not many. Don't know why. Your post brought back some memories...in the mid-40's (I was younger then), my mother drove a 1946 Ford from Minnesota to California with my aunt, cousin and myself riding along...I remember one area of Wyoming which was desolate...no towns or gas stations...we kept driving...got scary...finally found a small town with a crumby little motel. By that time it was late at night and we just collapsed. In the morning, we looked around and were appalled at where we'd spent the night!
Posted by: Lowell | July 03, 2013 at 03:02 AM
das habe ich bei den kleinen Spatzen gesehen..die betteln auch JEDEN an
LG vom katerchen der DANKE für diese schönen Bilder sagt
Posted by: Name katerchen | July 02, 2013 at 10:50 PM
Great photos of an adult and immature American Robins!
Posted by: Prairie Birder | July 02, 2013 at 09:39 PM
Sounds heavenly!
Posted by: Lady Fi | July 02, 2013 at 08:54 PM
so cute. we only see them passing thru in migration.
Posted by: TexWisGirl | July 02, 2013 at 07:41 PM
I love the fledglings, they are so cute. Nice shots!
Posted by: Karen, Pixel Posts | July 02, 2013 at 06:19 PM
They are very common here and I guess when that's the case you don't think of them being a big deal for other people. Love the youngster!
Posted by: Brian King | July 02, 2013 at 03:50 PM
Cute shots of the baby robin, Sallie! I thought the Robins were seen all over the states, maybe not? Great set!
Posted by: Eileen | July 02, 2013 at 02:04 PM
Love images Sallie. Far too many common birds are no longer common ... so very true.
Posted by: Frank (The Early Birder) | July 02, 2013 at 01:58 PM
A wonderful post Sallie and your images are fantastic...
Posted by: Andrew | July 02, 2013 at 01:38 PM
A lovey set of photos and great text
Posted by: peter | July 02, 2013 at 01:14 PM
Great photos of the robins and I can just imagine those young ones screaming to be fed. You have a very interesting life living in such different places.
Posted by: Mick | July 02, 2013 at 01:14 PM
Nice captures!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
Posted by: Boom & Gary | July 02, 2013 at 12:55 PM