Went to use my BBQ a week ago and found this:
Thankfully I opened the lid before I lit the burners!
Nobody home/no eggs so I think the nest got made over a few days when I had the cover off and they abandoned the project when it got covered for several days.
Moved it into an azalea next to the grill just in case, but don’t think they will be back for it.
@tinamarie1974
Yep! It surprised the crap out of me when I opened the lid… Especially since the openings to get from the bottom to the top meannt going through the grates, or in the side lid holes where the rotisserie would go. Either of those is a very tiny access!
@chienfou@tinamarie1974 Are you sure that’s not a mouse nest? I used to find those in my grill after winter storage until I “hardened” it with some hardware cloth. Mice can get into some very small openings.
@chienfou@macromeh@tinamarie1974
We had some problems with both our F-350 pickup farm truck, which is only used sporadically for hauling logs, gravel, etc., with long periods of disuse sitting outside, and also our tractor, which used to be housed in a temporary garage [tent], as the air filter boxes on them would get filled either with squirrel nests or hickory nuts [we have at least 2 hickory trees that we know of]- a hardware cloth barrier at the exposed openings of the air intakes of each prevented recurrences.
The mouse nests in our grill stopped once we had a barn to keep them in.
We have a log house with the log ends extending out at the corners, and ight with the robins over their nests there every year. The ones away from the entrances we can leave alone, but we found out the hard way that we can’t let them nest by the doors we use, or they defend them against us…
ouch…
@chienfou@PhysAssist@tinamarie1974 We have a large barn that we naively thought was a simple workshop and storage space, only to learn that it is actually highly desired real estate to the local rodent crowd. For a while we had a big orange (neutered) male barn cat who did a respectable job of keeping the rabble at bay. But alas, Barney (yep! Barney ) passed on a few years ago leaving the space available to unwanted tenants. I guess we should look for a Barney II.
@chienfou@macromeh@PhysAssist@tinamarie1974 I recommend a corn snake or two. They’re much more diligent. (A friend has two of them in her goat feed shed; this works well. Bonus, she also gets snakeskin harvesting opportunities.)
@macromeh That’s def a finch nes on that grill. I’ve had them in my toolbox out in the garage. Rodents always look for a tiny space they can either completely fill with found crap, or gnaw open to make a suitable den. (They did that in my box of 4X blank shirts once. Destroyed over $200 worth of stock.)
@chienfou Not sure where you are, but it looks kind of like a Carolina wren nest. Those buggers will put a nest nearly anywhere, so on a grill follows.
Eeeee future ittle birbs! We get a lot of magpie nests in the big tree next to our house, but they’re too high up for me to get a camera to them. Every year we wind up with an overeager fledgling or two stuck on the ground beneath the tree for a while. I give them mealworms and make little hiding spots for them to sleep in at night.
@tinamarie1974 I’m glad they’re okay! I think she chose a good sheltered spot. My friend made a sad discovery today - a nest that evidently blew out of a tall pine tree, lying on the sidewalk, with two dead fledglings in it.
@Star2236 Usually, fresh from the egg, they’re a lump with an appetite and not much else. (I’ve hand-raised nest-fall doves. OMFG can they eat crazy amounts.)
Hatchling (usually 0-3 days old). It hasn’t yet opened its eyes, and may have wisps of down on its body. …
Nestling (usually 3-13 days old). …
Fledgling (13-14 days old or older).
I tried getting a better picture but no luck. Its just kind of a lump with a few feathers at the moment lol
@Star2236@tinamarie1974 If the parents are only raising one or two, and food is plentiful, they can reach fledgling stage in as little as 10 days. What’s given above is a lot more typical; they stay in the nest growing fast until they’re just at or a little over two weeks old, and then they’re off following their parents around and endlessly pestering them for food for another four days to a week; seldom longer. Bigger birds, like seagulls and any of the raptors, have a longer period before fledging.
@Star2236@tinamarie1974@werehatrack
I guess the nest that blew out of my friend’s tree had nestlings, then - their feathers weren’t open yet.
I once rescued and raised a blue jay fledgeling. It was a cool experience!
My dad found an injured young hawk when I was a kid. We nursed it back to health and it would sit on my dads shoulder. It was really cool. Then one day it was sitting there while dad was walkimg around outside and decided to just fly away.
@Kyeh@Star2236@tinamarie1974@werehatrack
I rescued a baby robin as a kid, presumably from some trees that were being cut down behind our house. I looked for siblings, but he was the only one i found. Our vet said to feed him canned cat food, worms, etc. Our cat was VERY interested, so we kept him safe under an upside-down laundry basket, outfitted with a branch, bedding, the obligatory newspapers & anything else that seemed appropriate. I took him outside every day, as much as possible, to let him practice flying. He eventually made it to the trees, but kept coming back, until one day he didn’t, he just looked at me from up high for awhile & flew off somewhere. It was very bittersweet, getting to feel like a mama bird.
@Kyeh@Star2236@tinamarie1974@werehatrack My daughter works at a raptor rescue center. We recently got to accompany her to release a rehabilitated owl and hawk. (They try to release the rescues as close to where they were found as possible and these two were not far from our home.) In both cases, the people who originally found the injured birds were also present to witness the release. It was interesting.
@Star2236@tinamarie1974@werehatrack @ircon96 I got the same advice from a vet, to feed my little jay baby food from an eye-dropper. My younger siblings were very into it too and have vivid memories of it. I always wonder if it made it okay in the wild. Some cruel person told me offhandedly “Oh, he probably won’t survive since he didn’t have adult birds to learn from” but I decided not to believe that. In any case, he at least survived longer than he would have on that sidewalk, where I saw a cat lurking nearby!
@Kyeh Luckily, mine was a bit older, able to eat chunks of food that didn’t have to be liquified, so i hope that gave him a leg (wing?) up in the experience dept. I think instinct has a big role in bird survival, so I’m sure they did okay for themselves!
@ircon96@Kyeh@Star2236@tinamarie1974@werehatrack
If you have EVER raised chickens from baby chicks I can assure you that they will do OK on their own without an adult to imprint on. Some things (like roosting) may take a bit longer, but they will have no trouble doing the things chickens do…
I see no reason to think wild birds are any dumber.
@chienfou I must say I am enjoying this. The nest is so accessable I can see things easily without upsetting mama too much. I think she figured out when I open the door I cannot get to or hurt the eggs/babies so she lets me peek.
@chienfou@Kidsandliz@tinamarie1974 What a perfect arrangement! The babies look so funny at the moment. Has your niece seen them? Is she interested in things like this?
@chienfou@Kidsandliz@Kyeh Ive texted them to my sister but havent gotten a response. Not sure if she showed her or not.
I can tell you my mom stopped by tonight and she wanted a peek. I opened the front door (screen is locked) and mama just sat there looking at us like, nope not this time. She did not move so I just slowly shut the door. Hope she lets me peek tomorrow
The wreath fell in high wind. The nest broke, with the two remaining eggs cracking.
I was able to find two of the three babies. Made a new nest w a plastic container. Zip tied it to the wreath. Placed babies in and rehung. Also secured to the door with packing tape.
Now I’m watching to make sure mama comes back. Otherwise Bird Rehabilitation across town said they will take them, but they want to be sure they have been abandoned first. Said it is obviously better to keep them with their parents if possible.
@tinamarie1974 That is sad. The babies in the cracked eggs weren’t alive such that you could remove the shell or put them back in the nest for them to finish hatching out since they are all hatching together? I hope mama comes back!!
@tinamarie1974 OH NO!!! That is sad. I guess the fall was too much for the other two ones who survived the initial fall. Is mama taking the dead ones out of the nest or are you? I’d think leaving a dead babies in the nest isn’t a good thing.
@Kidsandliz K&L I am honestly not sure if mama has “buried” them under the dried leaves and grass in the new nest or if they have been removed. I cant see them from my vantage point and am trying to stay away so mama doesnt feel threatened and can attend to the survivor.
@tinamarie1974 Oh, fantastic!
There’s a big osprey nest near my town and their first bunch of eggs got blown out of the nest but they’re trying again also.
@Kyeh we have an osprey nest in a tall pine tree at our shore house…I absolutely LOVE the sound they make! I could listen to them all day, lol!
We recently had to cut down some of the huge trees in our yard, but we asked the tree removal people to check for a nest before cutting. I did not want to take down a tree that had a nest in it (plus…I think it’s illegal in DE). They are such beautiful birds.
@k4evryng@macromeh Thanks! What a sweet-sounding call from such a big bird. It’s like my big cat - he mews like a tiny kitten, whereas my late little black cat, only 7 pounds when he got old, had a loud, low meow.
@k4evryng@Kyeh A couple of years ago, we were outside on a sunny spring day pruning our fruit trees when I heard a trilling sound overhead. Thinking it was a passing flock of migrating geese, I looked up and spotted a group of bald eagles overhead soaring in a downward spiral formation. I counted 7 of them. I guess that is part of their courting behavior. Quite interesting - I’ve never seen that many together since.
Apparently, the screeching sound made by eagles in movies and TV is actually dubbed in for dramatic effect.
@k4evryng@Kyeh@macromeh For several decades, there was a bald eagle nest on top of a powerline standard adjacent to the bridge where US1 crosses from the Florida mainland onto Key Largo. To protect the eagles, the Fish and game people denied that they were bald eagles and said they were ospreys. To anyone with decent eyesight and any knowledge of raptors at all, the lie was obvious - and so was the reason for it. Even back then, Florida was full of assholes - but most of them weren’t going to go out of their way to take a pot shot at an osprey (if they could spell it) while they likely would have spent many weekends figuring out how to get away with shooting a fucking bald eagle, man!
@tinamarie1974 Hope the number of eggs is fewer too or when those babies get bigger they may well fall out of the nest. Glad the mama is having another family though. Dumb to build the nest in the same place. Good thing you secured where she built it.
I just found a nest on my house, too! It’s against the overhang of the roof outside my bedroom. It’s a clever spot, very well hidden - I only noticed because the mama bird would suddenly flush up out of there when I went on the patio. I can’t see inside but I haven’t heard chirping yet. I did see both parents hanging out in the tree next to it, watching me. They’re little house finches like yours.
@tinamarie1974 Oh, that’s great that she’s laid 5 again! I hope the weather isn’t going to be too harsh - I saw on the news that more storms are heading your way?
@Kyeh me too, but I check the packing tape everyday to ensure it is in tact and will hold that wreath in place even if the hanger comes loose again! Of course I also used packing tape to hold the suction cup hook to the glass door as well
We are suppose to have rain the bect several days but nothing so far. We will see
@Kyeh@tinamarie1974
Hey TM and K. No updates lately??
Hope the little ones are doing OK. Just noticed a mockingbird nest in my jasmine growing on the lattice by the pool house. Haven’t tried to peer into the nest yet, just noticed ‘mama’ flying off when I went in or out the sliding glass door.
I have been staying there the past few days since I am the only one home and it’s a lot easier (i.e. cheaper) to cool. I am doing some work/sorting/cleaning in the regular house while SWMBO is out of town, but get out of there before it gets too warm to sleep comfortably at night. This week I will be working in the afternoon, so having a cool space to come home to after work will be a benefit.
It’s actually been good since we will be having the grandkids staying in it in a couple of weeks and allows me to get it ready for them-- check out the point-of-use water heater temp and pressure, make sure the smart TV is up and programmed, etc, etc.
That sounds so idyllically southern!
My nest is still up there and the mother bird still darts away when I go on the patio, so I’m hoping the eggs are okay and will hatch soon; no little chirps yet so I can’t tell. How about you, TM? And doesn’t @Dave have a nest too?
@Kyeh This is almost exactly where mine is as well, though mine’s actually on the gutter rather than this nice little shelf.
Sadly the mourning dove eggs seem to have gotten blown out in a storm (though I couldn’t find any sign of them). A few different birds (especially house finches) seem to be checking the spot for a future try but it’s an empty nest for now.
@dave Oh, no! The storms have been hard on the birds! They showed news footage last week of an osprey mom protecting her eggs through a hailstorm, while hailstones about the size of dimes are pelting her, poor thing. But when the storm passed, she rose and stretched, and the three eggs were fine!
@tinamarie1974 Ohhh - they’re so funny and fuzzy! Do they chirp? I can’t see into the nest here and keep wondering if the eggs have hatched - seems like they should have by now.
And to wax a macabre: The trees by the elementary school near my workplace are rife with chirping noises; their playground has to be cleaned daily for droppings and those who did not learn to fly well enough.
Finally got a chance to snap a pic in the nest. It was raining as I left for work this afternoon and it appears the momma was on the nest when I shot the pic. Looks like at least one baby bird at the top of the shot has started to feather out nicely.
@chienfou oh, will they dive bomb you? My house finch parents are quite skiddish, so I am able to check out the babies when I want. Although usually I do it from the other side of the glass door
@tinamarie1974
yeah, they will fly down and flap around pretty close, all the while chattering up a storm. I have seen mockingbirds take on birds twice their size before in aerial combat!
@tinamarie1974 So sweet! Can you hear them chirping?
I’m sad - they’re been no activity at the nest here since sometime late last week. I’m afraid something must have gotten the eggs - maybe a squirrel, or another bird?? Neither parent is around anymore.
@Kyeh@tinamarie1974 we get magpies that regularly take over sparrow nests here; I believe they eat the eggs leaving the nest empty for the next sparrow family to move in
Here’s mine. Found a nest with 4 eggs while tearing out an overgrown juniper last weekend and moved it to a nearby azalea. Happy to report today bird family is doing well.
@Kyeh@tinamarie1974 When the kids are ready to leave the nest, they have also gained the ability to follow the parents around demanding to be fed for a week or more. At least while the kids are in the nest, they can get away from them for a few minutes at a time.
And I’m THRILLED to say that my bird couple seems to be nursing a brood too - I can’t see into the nest, but the edge has the same build-up of doodoo around it, and the parents are frequently in the trees next to it. So maybe they did the same as yours, laid new eggs. The mother isn’t flushing up and away anymore when I go out on the patio, so maybe she’s decided I’m harmless!
I was lucky enough to see the first two babies fly off this morning. Last I checked the other three were all snuggly in the nest. Guess it will only be another day or so max!
Mine have all bailed. I think they ‘flew the coop’ last week when we were in CO. Unfortunately it appears one found out (too late) that it was a mockingbird and not a duck. Found it in the upper fish pond on our return. The other two seem to have moved on to better surroundings.
: )
What commentary does @charliedoggo wish to offer?
@f00l I guess we will need to wait and see. I know he is frustrated with their location.
/giphy dog suspense
@f00l
/giphy hi
Nice! I’ve got some house finch nest watching going on too!
@dave you’ll have to share updates too!
@dave @tinamarie1974
Maybe we can start a betting pool!
Went to use my BBQ a week ago and found this:
Thankfully I opened the lid before I lit the burners!
Nobody home/no eggs so I think the nest got made over a few days when I had the cover off and they abandoned the project when it got covered for several days.
Moved it into an azalea next to the grill just in case, but don’t think they will be back for it.
@chienfou that is quite the nest!!
@tinamarie1974
Yep! It surprised the crap out of me when I opened the lid… Especially since the openings to get from the bottom to the top meannt going through the grates, or in the side lid holes where the rotisserie would go. Either of those is a very tiny access!
@chienfou birds are amazing and determined
@chienfou @tinamarie1974 Are you sure that’s not a mouse nest? I used to find those in my grill after winter storage until I “hardened” it with some hardware cloth. Mice can get into some very small openings.
@chienfou @macromeh @tinamarie1974
We had some problems with both our F-350 pickup farm truck, which is only used sporadically for hauling logs, gravel, etc., with long periods of disuse sitting outside, and also our tractor, which used to be housed in a temporary garage [tent], as the air filter boxes on them would get filled either with squirrel nests or hickory nuts [we have at least 2 hickory trees that we know of]- a hardware cloth barrier at the exposed openings of the air intakes of each prevented recurrences.
The mouse nests in our grill stopped once we had a barn to keep them in.
We have a log house with the log ends extending out at the corners, and ight with the robins over their nests there every year. The ones away from the entrances we can leave alone, but we found out the hard way that we can’t let them nest by the doors we use, or they defend them against us…
ouch…
@chienfou @PhysAssist @tinamarie1974 We have a large barn that we naively thought was a simple workshop and storage space, only to learn that it is actually highly desired real estate to the local rodent crowd. For a while we had a big orange (neutered) male barn cat who did a respectable job of keeping the rabble at bay. But alas, Barney (yep! Barney
) passed on a few years ago leaving the space available to unwanted tenants. I guess we should look for a Barney II.
@chienfou @macromeh @PhysAssist @tinamarie1974 I recommend a corn snake or two. They’re much more diligent. (A friend has two of them in her goat feed shed; this works well. Bonus, she also gets snakeskin harvesting opportunities.)
@macromeh That’s def a finch nes on that grill. I’ve had them in my toolbox out in the garage. Rodents always look for a tiny space they can either completely fill with found crap, or gnaw open to make a suitable den. (They did that in my box of 4X blank shirts once. Destroyed over $200 worth of stock.)
@macromeh @werehatrack
Ugh, rodents - they sure can be destructive!
@chienfou @macromeh @PhysAssist @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
Nope, nope.
@chienfou Not sure where you are, but it looks kind of like a Carolina wren nest. Those buggers will put a nest nearly anywhere, so on a grill follows.
@tharri1
Central AL.
Think you are probably correct. Looks like that to me too. Totally covered with a small opening…
Day Three
At first I thought this was announcing a new BBC Series.
Oh we are birdwatching now? This i like.
@unksol don’t tell your cats. LOL
Day 4. Not much excitement at the moment
No not really but I keep checking.
Day five. Standing by for action
Day 6
Eeeee future ittle birbs! We get a lot of magpie nests in the big tree next to our house, but they’re too high up for me to get a camera to them. Every year we wind up with an overeager fledgling or two stuck on the ground beneath the tree for a while. I give them mealworms and make little hiding spots for them to sleep in at night.
@Pony aaww they are lucky to have you
Day Eight, sorry I missed yesterday
@tinamarie1974
Nice view of the special doormat.
@Kyeh oh yeah, I didnt even notice! Aldi special right there!!
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974
you could have cropped it and rotated it a bit and said it was day 7 and I bet no one would have been the wiser!!!
@chienfou @Kyeh oh I dont know. Those eggs moved a bit here and there. Lol
I so konfusd. Why do hoomans care about the squwaky eggs?
Mom gives them more attention than me.
We can’t use the front door, she takes pictures of them EVERY day. No pictures of Charliedoggo!!!
I really hope she does not try to feed them my PB TREATS!!!
Almost forgot to post day nine
@tinamarie1974
/giphy anticipation
Mama and eggs survived the storm last night. No progress
@tinamarie1974 I’m glad they’re okay! I think she chose a good sheltered spot. My friend made a sad discovery today - a nest that evidently blew out of a tall pine tree, lying on the sidewalk, with two dead fledglings in it.
@Kyeh terrible
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 That is really sad.
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 aww! That is so sad!
Decided to check in on the babies. I think it is starting
@tinamarie1974 I can’t see it, but how exciting!
@Kyeh it looks like a crease in the egg. Like maybe a start of a break.
@tinamarie1974 Cool!!!
@tinamarie1974
I can’t wait!
@CharlieDoggo
Tell Mom to fuss over you lots and lots!
You deserve attention too!
Sigh…
WE HAVE THE FIRST BABY!!!
Also, @Charliedoggo is not impressed
@tinamarie1974 OOOO!
He does look disdainful!
And awwwww… - Charlie.
@tinamarie1974 He is such an adorable puppy!
@k4evryng aaww thanks. He is quite the stinker
It looks like a piece of bacon with some feathers lol
@Star2236 Usually, fresh from the egg, they’re a lump with an appetite and not much else. (I’ve hand-raised nest-fall doves. OMFG can they eat crazy amounts.)
@werehatrack
How long till they resemble little birdies?
@Star2236 @werehatrack this is what I found on line
Hatchling (usually 0-3 days old). It hasn’t yet opened its eyes, and may have wisps of down on its body. …
Nestling (usually 3-13 days old). …
Fledgling (13-14 days old or older).
I tried getting a better picture but no luck. Its just kind of a lump with a few feathers at the moment lol
@Star2236 @tinamarie1974 If the parents are only raising one or two, and food is plentiful, they can reach fledgling stage in as little as 10 days. What’s given above is a lot more typical; they stay in the nest growing fast until they’re just at or a little over two weeks old, and then they’re off following their parents around and endlessly pestering them for food for another four days to a week; seldom longer. Bigger birds, like seagulls and any of the raptors, have a longer period before fledging.
@Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
I guess the nest that blew out of my friend’s tree had nestlings, then - their feathers weren’t open yet.
I once rescued and raised a blue jay fledgeling. It was a cool experience!
@Kyeh @Star2236 @werehatrack that is cool. Did you release it into the wild eventually?
My dad found an injured young hawk when I was a kid. We nursed it back to health and it would sit on my dads shoulder. It was really cool. Then one day it was sitting there while dad was walkimg around outside and decided to just fly away.
@Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack Yes, I took it to a nearby park in the foothills. That’s neat about the hawk!
@Kyeh @Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
I rescued a baby robin as a kid, presumably from some trees that were being cut down behind our house. I looked for siblings, but he was the only one i found. Our vet said to feed him canned cat food, worms, etc. Our cat was VERY interested, so we kept him safe under an upside-down laundry basket, outfitted with a branch, bedding, the obligatory newspapers & anything else that seemed appropriate. I took him outside every day, as much as possible, to let him practice flying. He eventually made it to the trees, but kept coming back, until one day he didn’t, he just looked at me from up high for awhile & flew off somewhere. It was very bittersweet, getting to feel like a mama bird.
@Kyeh @Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack My daughter works at a raptor rescue center. We recently got to accompany her to release a rehabilitated owl and hawk. (They try to release the rescues as close to where they were found as possible and these two were not far from our home.) In both cases, the people who originally found the injured birds were also present to witness the release. It was interesting.
@Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
@macromeh That must be gratifying!
@Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
@ircon96 I got the same advice from a vet, to feed my little jay baby food from an eye-dropper. My younger siblings were very into it too and have vivid memories of it. I always wonder if it made it okay in the wild. Some cruel person told me offhandedly “Oh, he probably won’t survive since he didn’t have adult birds to learn from” but I decided not to believe that. In any case, he at least survived longer than he would have on that sidewalk, where I saw a cat lurking nearby!
@Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
@Kyeh Luckily, mine was a bit older, able to eat chunks of food that didn’t have to be liquified, so i hope that gave him a leg (wing?) up in the experience dept. I think instinct has a big role in bird survival, so I’m sure they did okay for themselves!
@ircon96 @Kyeh @Star2236 @tinamarie1974 @werehatrack
If you have EVER raised chickens from baby chicks I can assure you that they will do OK on their own without an adult to imprint on. Some things (like roosting) may take a bit longer, but they will have no trouble doing the things chickens do…
I see no reason to think wild birds are any dumber.
TWO BABIES
@tinamarie1974
very cool!
@chienfou I must say I am enjoying this. The nest is so accessable I can see things easily without upsetting mama too much. I think she figured out when I open the door I cannot get to or hurt the eggs/babies so she lets me peek.
@chienfou @tinamarie1974 Two babies and counting. So cool!!!
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @tinamarie1974 What a perfect arrangement! The babies look so funny at the moment. Has your niece seen them? Is she interested in things like this?
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @Kyeh Ive texted them to my sister but havent gotten a response. Not sure if she showed her or not.
I can tell you my mom stopped by tonight and she wanted a peek. I opened the front door (screen is locked) and mama just sat there looking at us like, nope not this time. She did not move so I just slowly shut the door. Hope she lets me peek tomorrow
Caught #3 mid hatch
The wreath fell in high wind. The nest broke, with the two remaining eggs cracking.
I was able to find two of the three babies. Made a new nest w a plastic container. Zip tied it to the wreath. Placed babies in and rehung. Also secured to the door with packing tape.
Now I’m watching to make sure mama comes back. Otherwise Bird Rehabilitation across town said they will take them, but they want to be sure they have been abandoned first. Said it is obviously better to keep them with their parents if possible.
Not a good day!
@tinamarie1974 That is sad. The babies in the cracked eggs weren’t alive such that you could remove the shell or put them back in the nest for them to finish hatching out since they are all hatching together? I hope mama comes back!!
@Kidsandliz no it was bloody and oozy. There was no movement at all
Found the third baby and it was still alive. Placed it carefully in the nest. Sitting outside to see if mama is coming to care for them.
Edit: mama is over there with them so I guess she is taking care of them. Hope they all survive.
@tinamarie1974 Glad mama is with them but that is really, really sad about the two dead ones. Glad you found the third baby.
@tinamarie1974 OH NO! But great that you found and rescued them and mama apparently is back!
Poor little family.
Only one has survived so far.
@tinamarie1974 OH NO!!! That is sad. I guess the fall was too much for the other two ones who survived the initial fall. Is mama taking the dead ones out of the nest or are you? I’d think leaving a dead babies in the nest isn’t a good thing.
@tinamarie1974 oh no! I’m so sorry! You did such a good job rebuilding for them and I really thought they’d be ok.
You have a big heart.
@Kidsandliz K&L I am honestly not sure if mama has “buried” them under the dried leaves and grass in the new nest or if they have been removed. I cant see them from my vantage point and am trying to stay away so mama doesnt feel threatened and can attend to the survivor.
@tinamarie1974 I hope when you look tomorrow there is still a baby.
@Kidsandliz I couldnt stand it and peeked tonight The one little guy is still doing ok
@Kidsandliz @tinamarie1974 I sure hope the last little one makes it! So sad that the others didn’t.
Bad day for baby birds.
Baby is still in the nest and seems to be doing well. I can’t really get a pic based on where it is positioned, but will as soon as it moves
@tinamarie1974 That must be a relief. I am glad at least one survived this.
@Kidsandliz mostly, but I wish I could have saved the other two.
@tinamarie1974 I know. It is really sad they died. And the ones still in their shells.
Any of you who are on Instagram - this is really wonderful - a bird rescue that was a great success!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrBMlt1MywR/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
The last baby passed last night. I buried them in the front yard
@tinamarie1974 Ohhh - I’m so sorry, this was such an lovely thing and the storm ruined it. Poor creatures!
@Kyeh
@tinamarie1974 That is so sad.
Looks like they are back at it! I used packing tape to secure the wreath to the door this time!!
@tinamarie1974 Oh, fantastic!
There’s a big osprey nest near my town and their first bunch of eggs got blown out of the nest but they’re trying again also.
@Kyeh hopefully it works for both this time!!
@Kyeh we have an osprey nest in a tall pine tree at our shore house…I absolutely LOVE the sound they make! I could listen to them all day, lol!
We recently had to cut down some of the huge trees in our yard, but we asked the tree removal people to check for a nest before cutting. I did not want to take down a tree that had a nest in it (plus…I think it’s illegal in DE). They are such beautiful birds.
@k4evryng
How cool! What do they sound like?
@k4evryng @Kyeh
@k4evryng @macromeh Thanks! What a sweet-sounding call from such a big bird. It’s like my big cat - he mews like a tiny kitten, whereas my late little black cat, only 7 pounds when he got old, had a loud, low meow.
@k4evryng @Kyeh A couple of years ago, we were outside on a sunny spring day pruning our fruit trees when I heard a trilling sound overhead. Thinking it was a passing flock of migrating geese, I looked up and spotted a group of bald eagles overhead soaring in a downward spiral formation. I counted 7 of them. I guess that is part of their courting behavior. Quite interesting - I’ve never seen that many together since.
Apparently, the screeching sound made by eagles in movies and TV is actually dubbed in for dramatic effect.
@k4evryng @Kyeh @macromeh For several decades, there was a bald eagle nest on top of a powerline standard adjacent to the bridge where US1 crosses from the Florida mainland onto Key Largo. To protect the eagles, the Fish and game people denied that they were bald eagles and said they were ospreys. To anyone with decent eyesight and any knowledge of raptors at all, the lie was obvious - and so was the reason for it. Even back then, Florida was full of assholes - but most of them weren’t going to go out of their way to take a pot shot at an osprey (if they could spell it) while they likely would have spent many weekends figuring out how to get away with shooting a fucking bald eagle, man!
@k4evryng @macromeh @werehatrack
How disgusting - shooting bald eagles - they probably think they’re some sort of great patriots, too, in spite of that.
Well, the new nest is much smaller and so far we have two eggs
@tinamarie1974 Hope the number of eggs is fewer too or when those babies get bigger they may well fall out of the nest. Glad the mama is having another family though. Dumb to build the nest in the same place. Good thing you secured where she built it.
@Kidsandliz @tinamarie1974 The term “birdbrain” exists as a mild pejorative for many reasons.
Three eggs currently! Didn’t snap a pic today
@Kyeh that is a lovely nest. Fingers crossed you get to spy the babies
Btw, I checked my nest and there are five eggs so far
@tinamarie1974 Oh, that’s great that she’s laid 5 again! I hope the weather isn’t going to be too harsh - I saw on the news that more storms are heading your way?
@Kyeh me too, but I check the packing tape everyday to ensure it is in tact and will hold that wreath in place even if the hanger comes loose again! Of course I also used packing tape to hold the suction cup hook to the glass door as well
We are suppose to have rain the bect several days but nothing so far. We will see
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974
Hey TM and K. No updates lately??
Hope the little ones are doing OK. Just noticed a mockingbird nest in my jasmine growing on the lattice by the pool house. Haven’t tried to peer into the nest yet, just noticed ‘mama’ flying off when I went in or out the sliding glass door.
I have been staying there the past few days since I am the only one home and it’s a lot easier (i.e. cheaper) to cool. I am doing some work/sorting/cleaning in the regular house while SWMBO is out of town, but get out of there before it gets too warm to sleep comfortably at night. This week I will be working in the afternoon, so having a cool space to come home to after work will be a benefit.
It’s actually been good since we will be having the grandkids staying in it in a couple of weeks and allows me to get it ready for them-- check out the point-of-use water heater temp and pressure, make sure the smart TV is up and programmed, etc, etc.
@chienfou @tinamarie1974
That sounds so idyllically southern!
My nest is still up there and the mother bird still darts away when I go on the patio, so I’m hoping the eggs are okay and will hatch soon; no little chirps yet so I can’t tell. How about you, TM? And doesn’t @Dave have a nest too?
@chienfou @dave @Kyeh @tinamarie1974 I’m not sure where the nest is but a mom downy woodpecker was feeding her little one at my feeder today.
@chienfou @dave @sammydog01 @tinamarie1974 Oh, cool!
@Kyeh This is almost exactly where mine is as well, though mine’s actually on the gutter rather than this nice little shelf.
Sadly the mourning dove eggs seem to have gotten blown out in a storm (though I couldn’t find any sign of them). A few different birds (especially house finches) seem to be checking the spot for a future try but it’s an empty nest for now.
@dave Oh, no! The storms have been hard on the birds! They showed news footage last week of an osprey mom protecting her eggs through a hailstorm, while hailstones about the size of dimes are pelting her, poor thing. But when the storm passed, she rose and stretched, and the three eggs were fine!
@chienfou @dave @sammydog01 @tinamarie1974
As big as dimes, I should have said - I guess most are smaller:
@dave @Kyeh One of my favorite subreddits is
@dave @sammydog01 OMG. Some of those are mind-boggling!
Dave, your picture above (April 8th) shows house finches - are they no longer there?
@chienfou @Kyeh Hi! Sorry been busy trying to purchase a new grill. There will be an entry on the blame.
Happy to report a total of five eggs, two of which have hatched as of this morning
@chienfou @Kyeh don’t mind the reflection of my big feet!
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974
watch out for nests when you go to use it!!
@chienfou @Kyeh My dad and I just assembled it tonight. No nests, but Ill check the old one before I power wash it for mom and dad. Good idea
Three babies, two eggs
Or video here!!
@tinamarie1974 Ohhh - they’re so funny and fuzzy! Do they chirp? I can’t see into the nest here and keep wondering if the eggs have hatched - seems like they should have by now.
@Kyeh i have not yet heard them but the oldest is only three days old. I dont see open eyes just yet.
It took a while for the eggs to start hatching.
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 They typically are laid one a day and hatch one a day, right?
@Kyeh @sammydog01 yup!
Spring is here.
And to wax a macabre: The trees by the elementary school near my workplace are rife with chirping noises; their playground has to be cleaned daily for droppings and those who did not learn to fly well enough.
@pakopako
Life is cruel like that sometimes!
Finally got a chance to snap a pic in the nest. It was raining as I left for work this afternoon and it appears the momma was on the nest when I shot the pic. Looks like at least one baby bird at the top of the shot has started to feather out nicely.
@chienfou Oh, that’s lovely!!!
@Kyeh
thanks
@chienfou Looks like there’s 3 babies?
@Kyeh
not really sure if the bottom one is progeny or parent!
@chienfou
All the babies have hatched
@tinamarie1974 Looks like a burst milkweed pod! I hope they all thrive!
We are getting big and strong!!
@tinamarie1974
Yay!!
![1]
Getting bigger!
[1]:
Both parents pulling guard duty
Don’t get too close…
@chienfou oh, will they dive bomb you? My house finch parents are quite skiddish, so I am able to check out the babies when I want. Although usually I do it from the other side of the glass door
Also your babies are super cute and so big!!!
@tinamarie1974
yeah, they will fly down and flap around pretty close, all the while chattering up a storm. I have seen mockingbirds take on birds twice their size before in aerial combat!
@chienfou
They’re looking so pretty now!
Chirp chirp
@tinamarie1974 So sweet! Can you hear them chirping?
I’m sad - they’re been no activity at the nest here since sometime late last week. I’m afraid something must have gotten the eggs - maybe a squirrel, or another bird?? Neither parent is around anymore.
@Kyeh i dont hear them at all, even when Im out front. Very quiet babies!!
Sorry about your nest, definitely sounds like something mist uave happened
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 If a possum can get to the nest, the possum will raid it.
@Kyeh @werehatrack my nest, no. It is on my front glass screen door.
@kyeh, not sure about hers.
@tinamarie1974 @werehatrack No possums around here, but we do get raccoons although I haven’t seen any recently. I suspect squirrels.
@Kyeh Squirrels are less likely than certain other birds.
@werehatrack But there are squirrels on and around my roof constantly, and they even invaded my attic last year.
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 we get magpies that regularly take over sparrow nests here; I believe they eat the eggs leaving the nest empty for the next sparrow family to move in
@pakopako @tinamarie1974
I haven’t seen or heard any magpies recently, although they come around sometimes. Noisy jerks!
We are bursting out of our nest!!
@tinamarie1974 Wow! I’m so glad they’re doing well!
@tinamarie1974 They are growing so fast!!!
Here’s mine. Found a nest with 4 eggs while tearing out an overgrown juniper last weekend and moved it to a nearby azalea. Happy to report today bird family is doing well.
(By the way - removing junipers - what a PITA.)
@walarney Wow!
@walarney Junipers can eat a chainsaw, but they aren’t as bad as the Texas menace known as a Bodark.
@walarney so cute!!!
I don’t think it will be much longer
@tinamarie1974 Real feathers!
@tinamarie1974 I bet they’ll be glad get out of those cramped quarters.
@Kyeh they hardly more around or make noise. They just sit there with their mouth open lol
@tinamarie1974 Hah - poor mom & dad! They’ll be glad to have the kids move out, I bet.
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 When the kids are ready to leave the nest, they have also gained the ability to follow the parents around demanding to be fed for a week or more. At least while the kids are in the nest, they can get away from them for a few minutes at a time.
It is getting so close
@tinamarie1974
SO COOL!!!
And I’m THRILLED to say that my bird couple seems to be nursing a brood too - I can’t see into the nest, but the edge has the same build-up of doodoo around it, and the parents are frequently in the trees next to it. So maybe they did the same as yours, laid new eggs. The mother isn’t flushing up and away anymore when I go out on the patio, so maybe she’s decided I’m harmless!
I was lucky enough to see the first two babies fly off this morning. Last I checked the other three were all snuggly in the nest. Guess it will only be another day or so max!
@tinamarie1974 Wow. Seems so fast …
Mine have all bailed. I think they ‘flew the coop’ last week when we were in CO. Unfortunately it appears one found out (too late) that it was a mockingbird and not a duck. Found it in the upper fish pond on our return. The other two seem to have moved on to better surroundings.