Lupé and Mathias build a nest - November 15th

Some people always leave things to the last minute – and that goes for Mathias and Lupé as well, a pair of one year-old black robins. They are still nest-building when others like Tawhiti and Asha already have growing chicks.

Mathias the black robin:

Lupé comes from quite a distinguished family though. She is the daughter of Misty (otherwise known as Grumpy) who was the oldest black robin on the island last season. For 14 years, he lived just below the hut and liked to sit up at night singing to DOC rangers and scientists alike. Which might explain why he was a grumpy old robin, it sounds like he never slept. Lupé’s mother, Liddy was five years old when she had Lupé, and had to raise the girl pretty much alone as Grumpy would eat most of the worms himself. (Grumpy died during the winter and this season Liddy has taken up with a younger robin and is looking much healthier and better fed!) Lupé has moved to the other side of the hut with Mathias and has just finished lining her nest with white feathers. But we are still waiting for eggs.

Lupé and Mathias's nest: