Here's a wildlife photo I can share. I took it on auto settings with a Kodak camera. My subjects were sleeping. I love non moving targets. There are 4. I suspect one will end up getting pushed out of the nest sooner or later. I think I will go and have my husband put up exclusion fencing around this plum tree otherwise the baby that gets pushed out will be eaten by a critter.
Here's another photo of 3 little beaks all together in the nest-
Oh, what fabulous pictures. (You mean you're not going to stand underneath the nest all day with cupped hands to catch the fourth baby?)
Oddly enough I thought about putting fruit tree netting around the base but figured that would be the kiss of death. I'm going to have my husband put up the fido zap fence that I used to have around a pond to deter raccoons. That should jolt the heck out of any cat that thinks it has a free lunch sitting there for the taking. Four baby robins in a nest that size is ridiculous. One of them is going to hit the ground, it's only a matter of time.
Good for you. (If I ever come back to life as a baby robin, I hope it's in your yard.) I'll look forward to hearing what happens next.
I want to go back and take a few photos in a couple days of all 4 of them in that little nest. I think that picture will actually be funny. Talk about having a full house!
A wren (definitely a wren, but don't know what kind) built a nest in the open end of the bumper of our RV. We didn't know she was there until we picnic-ed outside and saw her go under with a bug-in-beak several times. Now we can't move until they are all fledged!
Hope you hadn't planned to travel anywhere over this holiday weekend ;) Looks as if you would be in a tent while Momma tended to her babies at home in the bumper. That photo is priceless.
Little bit of a photo journal coming. I never quite made it to take photos of the babies all rammed in that little nest but I wish I would have been home to do it because exactly what I thought would happen happened. When I got home, I found one in a window well and one on the ground and an empty nest. They don't appear to be able to actually fly yet but they are sort of elevating with style which is probably how that one made it about 100' over and down into the window well of my house. That photo isn't too clear but he was nice and safe down there until I got home to rescue him. Mom was out there doing her best to watch over them.
Here's the one that ended up in the "protected zone". It tried to elevate and hop away from me so out of fear of it ending up in the electric wire, I backed off-
Here's where our window well baby was placed which is also in the protected zone-
An empty nest is a happy nest!
When I got home, I found that the entire area around my one pond was destroyed. I guess the raccoons were opportunistic. I took the wire from that area to put around the base of the plum tree where the Robin had her nest with 4 eggs to keep the coyotes and cats away. Overall, I'm pretty happy. The other two babies were in a nearby tree and the window well baby and the baby that dropped down in the protected zone were not used as appetizers so I'll move that wire back to the little pond.
While we were up visiting family and friends over the holiday weekend, a relative showed me how they protect their raspberries and strawberries from raccoons. Their electric wire set up is solar powered. I'm thinking of getting one like this for next year as for some reason, many birds nest in the fruit trees of my little orchard. Might as well wire off the entire area.
Say indirt- May we have an update on the babies in the bumper?
What beautiful babies. Pat yourself on the back!
Looking forward to hearing about indirt's nest next...
Last Friday morning we had baby birds flittering around under the camper where we store outdoor toys/coolers/etc. My DD took pics. I don't think they left that day, but we were gone for the weekend and I don't think they are here anymore.
Will she use the same nest? I read that some wrens nest again two weeks after their young have fledged.
We can't have them nesting again as much as I would like to help them. We hope to be moving the camper soon!
Pic of baby:
In this pic, there is a silhouette of mama on the hoola hoop, but a bit dark, between levels of the pallet is another baby.
In the background are all my plants that are struggling to survive in pots until I can get them in the ground. Used to have caterpillars in the netting, but they ate the plant to the dirt and disappeared.
These were the only two pics that really turned out. We didn't want to disturb them too much on what seemed their first day out.
Hooray, another success story! Great picture of that baby. I would think that you've certainly earned the right to go ahead and enjoy your camper now!
Can you take the bumper off for a bit? Just kidding ;)
Go camping and enjoy. You might want to cap off that bumper though to force her to relocate.
We are actually living in said camper for the moment. We are moving it to our home-site as soon as there are the standard utilities. We are waiting for the house to be built - thus all my potted plants (17 and growing).
Perhaps I should get a wren house and put it under there after I plug up the bumper? Then, if we move before she is done, we will move her house to a nearby tree? Or perhaps someone will take our spot and put it under theirs. If she has already laid, she shouldn't mind moving slightly, right?
I'd be concerned about predation as well as other factors associated with placing a wren house that close to the ground. It might be best to simply plug up the hole and let the wren locate another nesting site on her own. If you are in a position to provide a wren house for her, you might want to install it at an appropriate height and I guess just be prepared to leave it behind if she is still using it. I've had problems around here with Buckthorn because of predation. Birds are often forced to nest in areas that don't provide the greatest protection. Buckthorn and bumpers actually have a lot in common. Snakes can easily slither in and raccoons love nothing better than nice fresh bird eggs. Additionally, when the Des Plaines River flooded reaching a hundred year high; we lost many babies due to the height at which numerous species had nested. The flood waters rose up and native species that had nested in Buckthorn and Japanese Honeysuckle lost their nests as well as their eggs and nestlings while species that had nested higher up in indigenous species of flora that offered more favorable growth habits were high and dry. Most species of indigenous flora afford considerably more protection and Downy Hawthorn comes to mind for my region but there are others.
We are supposed to have lots of snakes, but we haven't seen or heard of any here at the RV park. I don't think that coons are around here, yet, either. Not enough mature trees and not enough trash. I would say the biggest threat here right now would be coyotes, house cats (not mine) and European sparrows (lots at the RV park). She probably picked the bumper for protection from the sparrows. I don't think they would fit in there. I can't picture a coyote being able to muzzle in there, either, but a house cat is another story.
I've heard owls, too, but they seem to have a different schedule from the wren.
TX floods in many places, but my county-wide dirt book says we are not in a 100 year flood plain. The trees close by are baby oak and elm. I could probably place the wren house 7-8' off the ground, but the baby trees are not good protection from the strong wind (up to 60 mph this year so far)/rain we get here.
Gee, ya got me thinkin' pretty seriously from the bird's point of view. It sure is tough finding good nesting sites.
Perhaps we will just plug up the hole and hope she finds somewhere higher up to nest away from sparrow marauders. I'm just afraid she will find some other nook or cranny under there to nest in, thus the wren house idea. Perhaps she is done for the year?
Snakes and raccoons I knew about. Stray and feral cats are a big problem around here too but we try to keep up with them. The flooding concerns weren't exactly something I used to think about until I went on a tour of the flood zones and it was pointed out to me. Pretty sad actually.
You do sound very sad. Can I give you some hope on the flooding issue?
As much as nests might flood, the birds would fly away to build another nest another day - and they generally do to replace the one lost.
Butterfly eggs
"exchange air through tiny water-repellent pores through the shell (as many as 14,000, occupying as much as 12 percent of the egg's surface area). The pores are so efficient that eggs can survive under raindrops or even if flooded." pg.31 The Butterflies of North America by James A. Scott
God has that all taken care of. What responsibility He has given to us we are sadly falling behind. (Equi - I know you are with me on this): Those outdoor house cats/barn cats eat millions of songbirds every year in WI alone according to NWF. Around here, there are many farms/dairies that the feral cats "just show up" and they feed them to keep them around to mouse. Cats just aren't selective hunters - they kill mice, birds, bunnies, etc.
So many people think that they "belong" outside, when actually all that does is greatly shorten their life span. Around here there are many predators that would love a kitty for breakfast, not to mention diseases and parasites - and people let them back in the house - often as not, with their kids.
There are also lots and lots killed on the road. Yet they multiply like rabbits.
Domestic cats are domestic because they belong inside. Wild cats like the tiger, cougar, leopard, oscelot, etc. etc. all hunt when they need to eat. As big as the tiger is, it only needs one big kill/wk.-10 days. Lazy, it won't leap more than 3-4 times for the kill - it will wait for something slower and less agile - most likely old and dying.
Domestic kitties, even farm kitties, don't hunt for food. Sure, sometimes they will eat their kill, but they don't have to b/c they are being fed. They hunt all the time for "fun". Anyone who lets their kitties outside is the cause of countless, needless murders that upset the eco system of the region - hawks/owls are losing the competition for the same food source as are other native animals.
Not to mention a lot of mad-behind-the back neighbors who keep digging kitty poo out of their gardens where their plants used to be (I'm speaking for others as well as myself).
And there are laws out there against letting them outside not on a leash. So many reasons to keep kitty inside. So many people who don't know them.
I hate being so negative, but sometimes is necessary. To end on a happy note - this is a pic of my new baby - found him on a farm starving at 4-5 wks. with infections in eyes and lungs - wouldn't have lived another few days. Here he is healthy, except still trying to get rid of a few ear mites, and he is about 10 wks. Saved his brother, too, but gave him away to a nice home. Both very lovey.
You're not supposed to do this but... ask your vet about trying a few drops of Ivermectin in his ears or maybe it was Front Line.
I agree, cats do not belong outside anywhere on this continent. They are not wildlife here, they eat wildlife here.
Thanks for the tip. I will ask my vet - she is pretty good about sharing this info.
Found out in caring for these guys that bathing babies in milk gets rid of their fleas in mere seconds. It also makes their fur extra soft.
I hate fleas. We are in a wooded area and very fall when the mice start coming in this house all of my indoor only cats get fleas. Very frustrating. We bathe them and soak them good then start them all on Front Line.
Our Carolina Wrens nested in one of the windowboxes on the front of our house. This is what I know:
They come to our deck every winter. My DH made a flat feeder that hangs on the side of the deck. We sometimes sprinkle peanuts on the deck itself when there is snow on the ground. Juncos and Wrens will scoot around eating the peanuts that fall from the feeder, and now they eat right from the feeder itself. They like suet too.
They usually build 3 nests for safety.Then if they are threatened, they can move immediately to another nest. They supposedly do not return to the nest, but I don't know if that is after a season, or after a fledging. Our wrens never came back to the same spot. The nest was soft and roundish with a tiny hole. It was made from moss and feathers, and the mother was very particular about how it was made. They continued to work on it and add to it the whole time they nested there.
The babies fledged very quickly. I called my 5 year old daughter as they were hopping out of the nest, into a lilac shrub at the corner of the house. We watched as they flew to our neighbor's tree, then the mother flew to same neighbor's stair rail. Each baby followed the mother's path. She then flew to the rail at the back of my neighbor's patio. After that, she flew into the trees at the back of the yard and we never saw them again. It all took about 3 minutes. There were 5 babies, I think.
We still hear them at the back of our yard. I have put out nest pockets, but only succeeded in attracting house wrens. I've read that they prefer planters, but I think they like a nice secluded place near a big bush. They make their homes and mate in March and April.
One website says the couples stay in the same territory, and they mate for life.
The year of the wren nest, we had absolutely no pest problems in the garden. There were no Japanese Beetles, caterpillars, grubs, moths, grasshoppers, nothing. It was amazing. They simply ate every bad bug in the area.
Ivy,
that really is a cool story. I love it when birds take care of infestations.
My wren might actually be a bewicks wren, but it could also be a carolina wren. I didn't get the best look at them, but they have the white eyebrow. Both are found in this area.
We have quite a few scissor tails, I think I saw and heard male house finch (was surprised) and then the wren who nested here, but there are so many LARGE grasshoppers - they are everywhere! Take a step and five fly away.
It would be great if they nested in one of their other nesting sites! What a great science discovery that would make for the kids? Do birds re-use their nests? Which birds, etc?
Oh man, I remember the grasshoppers back in Okla. where I grew up. The ones here would make you laugh. They are only about an inch long! :} teeny little things!
I miss seeing scissortails, they are so cool.
Some birds re-use their nests, but wrens don't.
Haven't had any big invasions of grasshoppers this year....YET!! I am keeping my finger crossed and hoping for the best.
Thanks for the info on the nests, Ivy. Turns out the electric will take another five weeks, so we wouldn't be moving before another batch left anyway!
