Squatters

Turns out having baby birds living in your back yard can be hazardous. These three adorable baby robins live in one of our trees out back. Under that same tree was also a broken sprinkler head. Throw in a fiesty mommy robin and you have got the perfect storm. After multiple attempts at venturing near the tree to fix the sprinkler and equally as many dashes back inside the house, Lance sheepishly asked if I would come with him outside and protect him from a bird. (you can giggle if you like - I know I did - that is until I got outside)

Armed with a broom we made our way toward the base of the tree amidst the terrible screeching of this hysterical mommy bird. We hadn't even made it to the tree when I realized why Lance had been dashing into the house and was now requesting protection. The mommy robin was dive bombing us, and she was a side-winder. With moves like a linebacker, she would zig and zag through the air as she zoomed toward my head. It was terifying. No really, I thought that the Alfred Hitchcock movie "Birds" was a bit hokie, but after this experience I think he was really onto something.

This mommy robin drove us back indoors at least 3 more times, each time we collected more protective equipment and made more advanced battle plans complete with hand signals and defense strategies. I will boast that I successfully defended my husband's safety for a solid five minute stretch with at least 15 dive bomb attempts from the enemy and endured endless torrents of what I assume to be the foulest bird profanity.

At long last, the sprinkler was functioning and we were safely back indoors content to let the mommy robin reclaim her nest that had never really been in harms way. I do have to respect her efforts for single handedly taking on two grown adults in full battle attire with such relentlessness. Although it was my head she was aiming at, I do respect her motivation. Go mommy bird!

I guess having birds in the yard is not all it's "cracked" up to be.