A robin flew so close over my head near Pool Pond that I felt the brush of her wings, then watched her return again and again until I understood she was trying to show me the leaking hose was off.  

What looked like a small backyard moment became a lesson in observation, instinct, and the quiet intelligence of wildlife. The robin knew exactly what she needed for nest building, and I had unknowingly become part of the process by giving her access to the mud she was collecting. While filming my documentary near Pool Pond, I was drawn into a scene that felt almost choreographed. A robin passed over my head twice, then circled back in a way that made it clear she was not simply flying by. She was leading me. When I reached the pond, I saw the problem: the ground had dried where she’d gathered mud the day before, and I think she was signaling that she wanted the hose on so the mud would return.

I turned the water on, and she went straight to work. She gathered mud, flew off, returned, and gathered more. Her mate later arrived and sang from the lilacs while she continued building. I had always thought the male robin did the nest building, but it was the female who shaped the structure, while the male stayed nearby, singing and guarding.

The scene was a perfect example of the kind of wildlife detail that inspires my writing, art, and documentary storytelling.

Lisa Loucks-Christenson is an investigative journalist, author, photographer, illustrator, and Christian ministry worker based in Rochester, Minnesota. She creates nature-based stories, documentary projects, and multimedia content across several digital platforms.

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