Well well well.

The last picture I captured with the webcam:



The last picture I took with TechnoBoy's camera, now that he and the good camera are back from TechnoWeenie Mecca:



Just after I shot that last photo, something startled Mama and she flew off the nest, and then, suddenly, so did all three babies. I climbed out the window I was taking pictures through (the screen was already off, the window is even with our deck) and ran around the back yard taking pictures of babies and cheering wildly for them as they flew, in short stints, to the forest behind the green belt behind our house. Their exodus from the nest was captured on the webcam, but as that video is currently several hours long, I'm not posting it until I have figured out how to edit a video :)

Here's the last I saw of the babies. Just after I took this picture, he clucked at me and ran off to hide under the long grass you see just behind him.



His father was delighted that I was there to chronicle this important event in his life:



Later this evening, I walked out past the fence to see if I could see any wee birdlets, and was delighted to be dive bombed by irate robins. I couldn't find any of the fledglings (did I mention it's a forest?) but I knew if the adults were trying to get rid of me, they were tucked safely away quite nearby.

Video coming when I figure out how to shorten it :) On the video, you will see how very ready to fly they were - several times it looked to me like they were ready to take off.

It's been a fascinating few weeks, hasn't it?