Pictured is a robin sitting on her nest in a coal bag left on one of the loading hoppers at the K. P. Thomas fuel depot at Templeton.

The robin built the nest over a weekend and the coal delivery boys left the hopper stand idle for a couple of days to see if any bird would continue to use the nest.

Before long they found five eggs over a period of four days, the end result being a mother robin and five very hungry little babies. They have a full set of feathers and presumably will leave soon.

Although the boys have stopped using this loading hopper, they use a hopper next to this and unaffected by the busy environment in the yard, the mother robin continues to travel back and forth every day feeding her young.

If anyone is late receiving their coal, it will only be because the boys are either waiting for her to finish feeding or just standing and watching before they load up their lorries!