My friend Ellen Hodges is an avid nature photographer. Whenever she gets a spare moment, she's outside scouring the flowers, shrubs and trees for birds, butterflies and insects. Thanks to her for spotting this robin as it rested on our patio table recently. It was on its way to the construction site. Yes, things have been busy in the bird world these past few weeks. Millions of migrating birds in the Chicago area are seeking out and defending territory for their potential homes. They're scouring nearby woods, fields, parking lots and gardens for housing materials. In the case of robins, nesting materials may include twigs, mud, dried grass, the occasional errant gum wrapper, string, feathers, dried leaves, plastic and other roadside debris.  Robin's nests are so well constructed that they typically last right through winter, long after the birds have flown south to warmer climates.



Robins begin by wedging twigs and grass to make the nest foundation. They add beak-fuls of mud, which helps cement the materials together. Standing in the middle of the nest, the female pulls and pushes the grasses into place with her beak. She molds the nest with breast and wings until it forms a well-constructed bowl.  All that work will perhaps produce four pale blue eggs from which baby robins will come forth to join the list of creatures that are hatched or born in our garden this spring. Now's a good time to get out (or buy) a bird bath, some bird nesting boxes and bird food.  For more information on helping backyard birds, visit the Audubon website.

— Nina Koziol