Urgently need help/advice!

San Gerardo de Rivas, Costa Rica(Zone 12b)

Hi everybody, this is my very first post here and figured I'd start here because my problem didn't seem to fit anywhere else, lol!

Today I discovered a Clay-Colored Robin (the National bird of Costa Rica) had built a nest in one of my large hanging orchids right in front of the livingroom window! I knew it had been busy building a nest, but I thought it was around the corner down the side of the house. Today I saw it fly out of the plant and so went over to investigate further. Low and behold, there was the nest with 4 eggs already laid. Normally I would be thrilled about this and would have been watching it. What a great chance to observe the entire hatching, feeding, fledging activity! I would have figured out a way to water the plant carefully so I wouldn't soak the nest etc. However, my problem/dilema is that I am moving in exactly 2 weeks today, so what do I do? I've been trying to "problem-solve" this and figure out my options. I guess it boils down to 2. The first is to move the nest now, before the eggs hatch. I thought I could find a similar basket and try to conceal it as best I could, ie: provide the privacy/safety that the orchid plant is giving and of course hang it right back in the exact same spot. I know the poor Robin will be extremely upset and "freaked out" by this, but I would be able to move my plant that way. The other option I came up with, although not the best for me, would be to just leave things as they are. Naturally the babies would not be nearly fledged in 2 weeks, so I would have to leave the plant behind and come back at a future date to get it. That would be very problematic for me, but is a possibility!

This certainly is a "sticky" situation and it's too bad I hadn't been more attentive and noticed exactly where the darn thing had decided to take up housekeeping, lol! Oh well, it's too late now for that. I just want to do the best thing for both of us, lol!

Thanks so much for any suggestions/options anyone can give.
vm

Here's what I found when I climbed up on a chair and peered in:

Thumbnail by vanillaman
San Gerardo de Rivas, Costa Rica(Zone 12b)

This is the situation from a distance!

Thumbnail by vanillaman
Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a)

Tricky!

If you make up a hanging basket and fill it with fairly similar-looking plants (long grass should do), transfer the nest to it, and hang it in exactly the same position, I think they'd probably accept it.

For watering, try holding a bowl of water under the basket for a minute or two so some water soaks into the bottom, that way you shouldn't need to pour any water on from above.

Resin

San Gerardo de Rivas, Costa Rica(Zone 12b)

Thanks Resin, I'm glad you think that option may work! I would never water it from above with the situation the way it is at the moment, lol! When I do water that orchid, I always use the hose and concentrate on just soaking the rootball below the leaves and pseudobulbs, but yes I could use a large basin of water if I decide to leave the plant where it is and just raise it up to the plant and let it soak.

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