There is a Robin that regularly appears whenever I'm near my workshop where I fill the bird feeders and every now and then it takes a mealworm from the hand. This morning I managed some photos of the Robin taking a mealworm from my wife's hand The pictures are a bit grainy as it was early and the light was not good so had to use a very high ISO to get the shutter speed up high enough but pleased with the results none the less.
The Robin's relationship is firming up and he's constantly taking mealworms for his partner, sometimes 4 or 5 at a time, occasionally she's close by but more often than not she's a little way off. I've finally got a picture of a hand over, not the best as I had my short lens for photographing him on my hand but once zoomed in you can see them reasonably well but deep in the hedge as always. He's also appeared fluttering at the living room window once then looked into the conservatory and is always following us around the garden.
Trevor
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Lot to learn
Finally got to see the handover of food and have the right camera/lens set up with me. Late afternoon, low light and the female deep in the hedge, with the male Robin eating mealworms from one hand and operating a camera with telephoto lens with the other trying to keep the female in the frame waiting for the handover. As I felt the Robin leave my hand I could steady the camera with my left hand with the mealworms still in it. Unfortunately the small movements of the female fluttering her wings and bobbing up and down took her in and out of the small gap in the twigs I was viewing from and with only 1/160 sec shutter speed at ISO 4000 I have to be pleased that I managed to get any pictures at all.
After all that they managed to fumble the hand over and drop the mealworm.
Waiting for a worm.
Here he comes.
Getting excited.
At last.
Oops.
Sorry I'll go and look for it.
Now I just need to see the hand over in good light with my wife feeding the Robin and me free to operate the camera.
TJS said:
Finally got to see the handover of food and have the right camera/lens set up with me.
A fabulous sight and the photos to add to your collection.
I saw my first robin courtship this time last year, (many thanks to Covid, or I'd have been at work), but it was a nice sunny day, not dull, cold and windy like it is currently.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
Latest update on our Robin.
He's now keener than ever and we don't see him feed the the female very often now, he just flies off with a beak full of worms, presumably to her on a nest nearby. He's also made friends with our neighbours and pursues them when we're out, last night we went next door for a chat and glass of wine in their garden before our dinners and were joined by our Robin . He's straying off his patch a bit and got chased off a couple of times by another Robin but still came back. I managed to get some pictures on my phone.
Looking into our conservatory and waiting for us to come out.
Sitting on my knee.
You've got snacks, where's mine. So I had to go back home and get some (my neighbours only had dried mealworms).
Come on then I'm ready.
About time to, thank you.
He often turns up quite wet and has a good preen after a dip in our pond.
Wine and mealies for the robin!
I hope you didn't allow the robin too much wine! LOL