QUOTE THE RAVEN--EVERMORE

A robin built a nest in the crook of the down spout in the house to the west of us. It was under the eave and out of the wind and rain. Since we could watch from the sofa through the piano window, it has been great interest as our own private showing.

We knew she laid eggs, as she was on the nest except to feed. On Saturday she went to eat and a raven scrunched under the eve and ate one of the eggs. Tom saw it happen and stated since they were so intelligent, it would be back for more.

A few minutes later, I saw the shadow of the raven on the blind in the east window and dashed to the piano window. Sure enough, the raven was sitting on the roof but this time, it did not get the egg, as the robin chased it away.

She went back to sit on her nest, only to leave again. Once more, the raven came. He ate what we think must have been the last egg, as the robin has not been nesting since.

Tom says that robins lay clutches of eggs if others are destroyed.

In the dozen years I have been in Fargo, there has never been a nest in the elbow of the down spout. It is, after all, not really hidden, this is probably why. You know what? It is really sad. Although we know there is a pecking order, we just never thought a raven, which we have not seen in the neighborhood before, would zero in on this robin's nest. It is a 'movie' with a not so good ending. Or is it NOT an ending, at all.