Two years ago, a pair of American Robins built a nest on top of the electric meter box near our front door. (See this post: The Endless Quest for Food.) Yesterday, a pair of robins were checking out the same location, but almost immediately afterward, a magpie landed on the meter. This seemed to dampen the enthusiasm of the robins. They haven’t returned.
The Car Guy and I remembered, though, that the previous robins had a great deal of difficulty building a nest on the narrow, smooth surface of the box. It seemed to us that it might be a good idea to mount a platform on top of the box that would make it easier for the robins to anchor their nest.
This is what The Car Guy came up with. Just to make it very clear to the magpie that this was for the robins, The Car Guy added the name of the intended occupants.
A wall, an electrical meter box, the robin platform – do you see anything else in this photo? I didn’t until I finished editing it and uploaded it. I’m kind of in the photo too! Can you see me?
Update: The robins started building a nest this morning!
Amusives 
The robins will think you are watching them. I love their box!
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The box worked. They started building the nest this morning!
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I love the welcoming sign for those Robins! Hopefully the magpies will be respectful LOL.
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Magpies don’t seem to respect anything. It’s why we call them rats with wings.
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LOL I have not heard them called that!
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Clever! Now the Robins can raise their family in peace.
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Let’s hopes so! They successfully raised two chicks in that location two years ago.
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What a fun and clever fellow CG is. I hope the Robins make a big beautiful nest full of babies. 😀
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Hope your wrens do the same!
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We had robins nest on our hydro meter several years in a row when we lived in the city. Now we have them in various pine trees around the property. No magpies in our neighbourhood so no threats. Did you know sparrows will “take over” a cardinal nest once their baby fledges? A pair moved right into the empty nest in the ewe outside our kitchen window the very next day! I love observing nature up close!
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I’m jealous – cardinals! We have them at the AZ house, but I’ve never seen where they nest, let alone having a nest so near to a window!
Our owls don’t build their own nests either – they move into existing nests.
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We have several pairs of cardinals; one always nests in the ewe outside the kitchen and the male often sits on top of the bush, watching us in the kitchen. It’s amazing. We have all kinds of birds out here in the country that we didn’t have in the city; we’re enjoying every minute.
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Magpies can read? I swear, Margy, I learn something new every time you write a post!
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Not just magpies. Robins must be able to read too, don’t you think?!
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Oh, I already knew robins could read, my
sister-in-law is named Robin.
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LOL, love that he put up the nameplate!!! Clearly they can read since they built the nest immediately thereafter. And of course we see your shadow in the photo. Looking forward to the chicks!
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You get the prize, Tina. No one else saw my shadow… I didn’t even see it until I processed the photo…
As of this morning there are three eggs!
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When we lived in St. Louis, we had a similar robin nest set up.
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And here I thought we were so original!
Robin update – 4 eggs.
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Nice, hopefully it will be a succesful batch 🙂
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Outstanding!– and positive proof that “car guys” are nature-friendly environmentalists at heart!! What’s that mysterious shadow on the wall?? Why it’s Margy The Robin Whisperer!! Great post, great shot!
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Yes, we are nature friendly around here! It has been a summer of baby birds, that’s for sure.
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