All Grown Up

I had no idea that birds change from teeny, bald, helpless things to full-grown, mature birds in roughly two weeks, but...turns out, that's true- for our robins, at least!  They've all flown the coop this morning!

I might not have believed it, and would have thought that maybe they all fell from their nest or something, but while I was watching them this morning (one was already gone), another leapt from the nest, and crashed into the door.  I briefly thought of rescuing it, but then...off it flew!

The last one hung on for a few more hours- it was so sad, it kept chirping the same, pitiful call, like it was calling everyone back!

But finally, the last time I checked, the nest was empty.

So now...do I remove the nest and clean up the gross mess that's been piling up (literally) on our porch?  Do they come back- is this their home, or are they gone for good now?

Oh well- it was fun while it lasted! :)