Bad mother

**"* C* <d*@gmail.com>**

The dumbest robin in Pennsylvania built her nest on a eves downspout ell right next to our back door. The door that leads to the garden. Busy door. She laid three eggs, but has been ignoring them. Instead she has been obsessed with another robin, her reflection in our window glass, who she thinks is trying to horn in on her territory. Bang, into the window, dozens of times a day. I tried taping newspaper over the spots where she saw the intruder, but she just found more spots. This morning I went down to the dollar store and bought several mylar helium balloons (stars and stripes, but Happy Birthday or Congratulations would probably work too), put a staple into the sills, and tied them there. Worked like a charm. She is back tending to her eggs.

Duane Campbell
Syndicated garden columnist
Author: Best of Green Space; 30 Years of Composted Columns
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