But the birds are IN amongst the geranium, are they not? Will she be able to wrap the geranium without wrapping the birds? And if she manages to wrap it, how will the mother react? Hmm... Mehearty, does the basket hang under the porch roof, or is it farther out and exposed? Can it be moved further under the roof, like next to the house wall? Would that be enough to protect the geraniums? Is it possible to hang something over the basket from the roof (as opposed to laying it directly on the basket), possibly leaving a bit of access for the mother to get in and out? I hope you figure this one out - for the sake of the geraniums and the birds! :) Dee

I love the drama too deanie! Isn't it so much fun to watch? It's the very best time of the year. I tell my boys that there is a very entertaining soap opera going on out there in the yard. You just have to know what to watch for! My Mocker pair is doing their mating dance out in the yard. Their nest is almost done, and they have both worked so hard on it. The Mourning Dove males are chasing the poor females relentlessly. They are some randy birds. The male Robins are staunchly planting feet and defending their territory. The Chickadee pairs are flitting about the trees together, and they are the first birds I hear each morning when I go out. I have 8 Giant Arborvitae (really huge) in my back yard, and the Robins, Doves, and Cardinals adore nesting in them. Problem with that is that those things really move in the wind, and nests that are not built well or not in a good spot will come tumbling out. I have to make regular rounds around those trees to check for fallen nests and baby birds. I have often found nests and babies, and have had some success with good outcomes in spite of the nesting disruptions. Gotta love nesting season!!!

This is just my best guess. Around here when I see Robins in the winter, they are foraging through leaf piles for food. Since you've just had over 27 inches of snow, they may be searching for other sources of food.

Thank you all for all the comments here. I have a nest though while no eggs (3 robins fledged successfully ages ago) the nest remains the parents home. Issue is it's under my bedroom window in ivy which due to leaving them so long, its now completely covered the window and onto the roof. I'm going to build a box as shown by rober49 (thank you) and place it under the eaves for protection. The nest is huge and looks very solid (i.e., been in use a very long time). The robins eat from my hand (as did their babies) so trusting they will understand, forgive and continue using their relocated nest. The UK robins are tiny compared to those in the US. Ours are a fair bit smaller than a tennis ball. I think your's are on steroids. Thank you all ... feeling much happier about this.