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May 6, 2025

This Week's Garden Gab:
​The Robin Whisperer

Hi Reader!

Full disclosure: Robin Whisperer is a bit of a stretch. Until about five years ago, I had a MAJOR bird phobia. Matter of fact, I had a phobia of anything with wings - just sent me over the edge. Gardening cured that thankfully. I still run from snakes though. 😳

In this edition:

• What I found in my yard
• Who I called for help
• What I did all day long

What I Found in My Yard

As I was tidying up my yard and garden after being away, I happened to look down in the grass and saw something furry near the fence. I thought a cat had gotten a mouse.

Upon closer inspection I saw it was a baby bird. Was it injured? I had no plans to touch it. Honestly, my thought was, "His Eye is on the Sparrow and the Robin." [If you know, you know]

I kept working (Don't judge me, I was on a mission).

I saw Mama Robin bird show up with a long worm, baby opened that beak real wide and swallowed it whole. Then it wobbled across the grass and I couldn't see it anymore. That was that. I finished my work and went inside.

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Who I Called For Help

The next morning, I went out to check on my plants and WHATTT?! Right there in the middle of my lawn, all out in the open was this little bird. It just sat there, still and quiet. I knew the neighborhood Hawk would make a quick snack of this bird if it stayed out in the open.

My neighbor who is a nurse and lover of all animals great and small passed by the fence. I showed her this bird. She said we should put an open-ended box over it so the Mama bird could see it but the Hawk couldn't. She got a box and we devised this little homemade pitiful protection for Luther; the name we gave him.

He sat there and didn't seem afraid at all. My neighbor said we shouldn't handle him or his Mama might not come near it again. I was fine with that ... because I still don't know how people get Bird Flu.... just sayin'. 😜

Anyway, after a while, mama saw her baby and apparently it was feeding time. I went inside and watched from a window as she went to work pulling more loooong worms from the soil and taking them to Luther. He was eating worms all day long. Lots of protein for my little Future Frequent Flyer.

At one point Luther was brave enough to exit his DIY apartment but, sure enough, within a few minutes I heard what sounded like a million birds screeching across the sky as they chased the Neighborhood Hawk. Luther was all out in the open! The flock of little birds were on it though chasing the Hawk who kept moving. I put the the box back over Luther and he was safe for the moment.

Check out this video of one of his feeding times.

​

We got a short rain shower in the afternoon and Luther's house caved in so I had to repair it with garden stakes because he was trapped inside and his mama couldn't see or feed him.

All this just so Luther would live. I told him outloud...
​"Luther, you need to fly or die around here. Mr. Hawk will see you as as a quick snack if you can't fly."

Luther sat in his apartment and watched me all afternoon as I dragged the watering hose around the yard and his apartment. His little bird eyes followed me when I walked by him. He opened his beak wide when I got close. I actually thought about finding a worm to give to him but I didn't want to mess with what nature and instinct was doing between Luther and his mama. I finished and went inside again.

Apparently, Luther got brave because when I went back outside he was GONE! I knew he couldn't fly and I prayed Mr. Hawk wasn't licking his beaky lips up in a tree.

I stepped carefully across the lawn looking for Luther and there he was half walking half wobbling off to who knows where. "LUTTTTHHHER! There you are!" I said.

Luther had tucked himself behind my fountain. His mama found and fed him more worms. I moved his home closer to him incase he had to make a mad dash from a predator during the night. I never really thought before about how mama Robins can't pick up their babies and bring them back to safety. I went inside again.

A few minutes later I heard my neighbor outside looking for Luther! He was gone again. We both thought he'd become dinner but NO! After a few more minutes of searching I saw his little ruffled feathery self in the tall grass bouncing around. It looked like he'd grown so much in one day. I was so happy to see him. He wasn't injured as I first assumed, he was just too small to fly.

Luther is out there tonight. I don't know if he will be in his apartment in the morning, or if he will test those wings and be up in a tree somewhere. I'm holding myself back from going out there in the dark with a flashlight to see if he is in his apartment.

Of course I'll let you know what I find in the morning.

All Day Long

In and out all day. I spent an entire day fooling with Luther and being concerned about his well-being. Just one week ago I would have been like.... "May the Lord be with you in this wild world Luther." Not because I didn't care but...maybe it was the passing of my father a couple weeks ago or something that tenderized my heart for Luther's well-being.

I wanted Luther to live, and wanted him to be safe, and wanted his mama to find him. I wanted him to grow up and fly across the skies... and I wanted to yell at him for pooping all over my patio furniture and dirtying up my water fountain. For some reason, I needed Luther to live his best life.

You see? ... Me and Luther have bonded.

I guess that's what the sadness and grief of losing a loved one does to your heart. If you don't let grief take you all the way down to despair it will give you a new level of compassion. You want to see people and animals live, grow, thrive. It's a compassion that helps you convert the grief inside into love and attention towards and for others.

That's where I am right now. Just me and Luther.... helping each other to get through a rough spot in a tough life.

Edification:

If you are a Garden-Ease subscriber, you know by now that I love facts. After my day with Luther I wanted to find out about Robins.

So, here are 10 facts about the American Robin that you might find interesting as well.

10 Fun Facts About the American Robin

The American Robin is one of North America’s most familiar and widespread songbirds. Found in forests, fields, parks, and backyards across North America—including Mexico, Canada, and Alaska—the robin is also the official bird of three states: Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin. While many people are familiar with their cheer up, cheer up, cheerily caroling, here are some facts you might not know about this iconic American songbird.

1.) There are dozens of different bird species across the globe—chats, flycatchers, thrushes—that include the word “robin” in their common name. The American Robin belongs to the thrush family, which also includes bluebirds and solitaires.

2.) Early colonial settlers named the American Robin for its resemblance to READ MORE...​

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A Quick Garden Ease Poll

That's all I have for this edition.

Hope you enjoyed reading about Luther!

Feel free to write me at jangardener@gardenease.org if you have any questions or comments.

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I'll see you in the next edition!

Jan🤗

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If you have questions, comments, praises, complaints, or ideas about gardening or about the newsletter, you can reach me at: jangardener@gardenease.org