I passed by this nest hiking in and out of a survey site at least once a week one summer and did not notice the nest until a robin flushed off of it as I was walking by.  Of course, I had to stop and quickly take a photo because the nest was at eye level, but not too long because the annoyed robin parents were loudly protesting my presence from the adjacent trees.  I hiked past the nest several times after that until the robins fledged their young.  A few weeks later, I was hiking past it one day and looked over and saw a Steller’s jay sitting on the same nest.  I hiked past it several times after that until the Steller’s jays fledged their young.  These are the special moments that remind me why I do what I do and how wonderful our world is.

~ Paula Graff