Nocturnal Visitor

Date/Year of Photo
June 29th, 2016

Location of Photo
Our balcony, in Lower Lonsdale, through the sliding glass door

Description of Photo
Our Granddaughter, Arya, named him Robin. He climbs the tree to our first floor balcony regularly just to rest and groom. We're a pit-stop on his nightly adventures likely to the sea to source mussels and clams. We do not engage but afford him his privacy only going as far as to put out fresh water daily which he drinks and then later washes up with. His visits are short but sometimes he will nap on the chair for an hour or so. We estimate he was under a year when he first starting visiting. He had the look of a young male recently kicked from the nest. Last night he gifted us with the vision of he and his new mate interacting affectionately as we peered carefully through the curtains. They are so beautiful to watch. So smart, so loving. When he first came he would come earlier in the day and be dive-bombed by crows protecting their nests and yelled at by humans who feared him and disrespected his right to be here. He learned from that and now comes only at night. The first time he brought his mate she refused to come all the way up, still distrustful, making her bravery last night even more of a gift. I wished I could have photographed them together but their privacy was more important. Perhaps the day will come when I am more prepared with a night vision camera.