Our resident robins flew the nest today. I spotted one little chick on the road after I reversed my car and saw that it had been sheltering underneath it. A close shave!

Mr and Mrs robin have been fretting all evening, catching food and flying to the nest (possibly as a decoy flight for any predators) and then off to find their littluns amongst the shrubs or hiding behind a plant pot in the neighbour's garden.

We first noticed them in April collecting material in the garden and making a nest behind some stacked planks in the carport. But with a cat lurking it didn't last too long and for a while they made themselves scarce. They tried again elsewhere in the same building but to no avail. Eventually, to our great delight, they successfully built a nest behind the light - perhaps it offered a little less exposure.

I have checked it regularly over the last few weeks, and did intend to set up the GoPro to take some video of the brooding birds and then any hatchlings, but in the end I backed off. Apart from a couple of photos when it seemed opportune I didn't want to interfere having seen these birds struggle to get where they were. I am not even entirely sure how many eggs there were in the end but at least four in the clutch.

I don't know where they are now, except the last one Emma and I saw was flapping clumsily into the neighbours garden. The neighbour has a cat so it could be an uphill struggle from here. I wish them well and wave them off with a little sadness but... we may have some more little miracles on the way as a wood pigeon is now sitting on a nest in the vine, just above the back door.