My friend Robby
In June 2008 a very young robin used to hop around outside my aviary when I was feeding the birds every morning. He was unusually fearless and enjoyed any left over seeds my doves hadn't eaten.
Since then hardly a day has gone by without little Robby turning up and demanding food at least twice daily. He grew up into a handsome chap here he is just full grown in September 2008
Early 2009 we had some freezing weather and unusual for Cornwall we even had a few days of snow. Robby weathered it well as you can see here.
Mine and Robby's relationship has had a few incidents. The first autumn he saw me sitting at my desk inside the window and learnt a very hard lesson that he could not fly through glass. He was ok I rushed out and picked stunned Robby up and held him until he was awake enough to fly off probably with a headache.
One day I hadn't seen that he had hopped into my aviary behind me and he spent several hours with my doves, he didn't seem bothered and took a little persuasion to leave.
Last winter was a cold one and one day I hadn't fed Robby before taking the dogs out. All the way up the lane he kept swooping down at me and twice landed and perched on the dogs lead. I managed to crush up some gravy bones for him other wise I think he might have come on the whole walk.
This spring Robby found a girlfriend and used to bring her with him to feed. She was fairly tame but not as tame as my Rob who eats happily out of my hand. I assume they had young because soon it was just Robby turning up virtually non stop through the day asking for food, I expect he had a family to feed. He was wanting food so early one morning he few in the open bedroom window while I was getting up. Why oh why is the camera never where you want it.
I was devastated this autumn when Robby had a tick on his head. I had not realised birds got them. Tame as he is he was very stand offish while he had it so I was unable to help him. Within days it fell off (hope he ate it) and he hadn't suffered any ill effects. This was taken soon after just a few weeks ago.
Hope you enjoyed meeting my special little friend