I have a phoebe nest!

An Eastern phoebe has been building a nest by my front door for some time. Initially, I thought she would not be able to make it "stick" to the wall. It is in the corner where 2 walls meet, just above the front door. I don't use the front door much because I go in through the garage. I have seen pictures of their nests and they usually seem to have a ledge or something underneath. For a long time, she just made a mess of the wall and the step below. Then there was sort of a lump of mud and moss that stuck to the wall. Over time, the nest has taken shape and now she seems to be finished. She was sitting on it this morning but there are no eggs yet. She is a pretty messy nest builder but I will be excited to see the progress of the family that she will hopefully raise in it!
Claire

Lucky you!! Keep us posted!

Here's mum - she might still be building - she keeps coming back and forth and she sits in the nest and kind of does a squat-wiggle move. I think she's putting in a soft lining or something. Then she takes off again.

and here she is facing the other way doing the squat-wiggle.

These photos are through a window so not perfectly clear.

Thats so cute Claire!

Thanks Pelle! I've added this nest to NestWatch too. I am anxious to see how many eggs she will lay. It says 4 to 5 in my book. Says she has 2 broods a year. I wonder if she will use the same nest if she does that.

She sure is a squawker though!

You have a lot of activity at your place, don't you?! We have had Phoebes (-ies??) for several years, but unlike yours, our always want to nest in our garage. I wouldn't mind, except they are so messy.......as in: not 'housebroken'! All over the truck, all over the walls.

Don't worry about disturbing them during nesting. I am in and out all day, and mama will stay on her nest, just watching. She probably feels safe since the nest is so high. So, relax and enjoy!

Yes, Mima, it's a very bird-active place! I only moved here at the end of February and was used to a regular "neighborhood" home before. Now, I have 5.5 acres with timber, a pond, and prairie grass areas. It is a completely different type of environment for birds, and they (and I) are very happy with it! I have never had such bird diversity in my life. It's a treat every day.

Having a nest in your garage would be a bit messy, I agree! She has made quite a mess of my front doorstep. I imagine that will continue! How do they get into your garage? I'm glad to hear that yours are not disturbed by your daily activities. I was worried that mine would leave if I got a UPS delivery or something on the step.

Thanks!
Claire

Claire, since we're in the country, we rarely put the garage door down. Too, the dogs sleep in the garage and like to be able to 'patrol' at night. So, the Phoebies don't have trouble getting in and out.

We have also had a Carolina Wren couple nest in the garage for several years. Now wrens are fun! They have nested in a hat, on top of hanging fishing poles, and in a can. They are quiet and are very 'well behaved', not making a mess anywhere. Last year, I went to leave just after the babies had fledged, and there seemed to be baby wrens everywhere, with dogs running and chasing, wren parents yelling, and babies hopping and cheeping. I panicked, of course. I got the dogs outside and put the garage door down and then opened the side door. I used a broom to 'herd' the babies outside where they safely made it to a bush. I was exhausted! I put the garage door up and got in the truck to leave, and...............a baby wren I missed flew into the truck with me!!

What a day! But days like that are worth it. There are so many creatures that need our help, aren't there?

Right now, we are fascinated by the Orioles that are passing through. We have never had them longer than a week, but we do all we can to make their journey easier. The patio and front porch are a mess, with oranges and lids with jelly everywhere! There is a feeder on the patio and another on the front porch, where we can see it from the kitchen sink. so, there is always something to watch.

Like you, this was all new to me. I was a 'city girl' til I retired here a few years ago. I was excited about EVERYTHING......even the snakes! I had always been intrigued by nature but had never had much experience. I am in heaven now!
Sara Ann

Ah, now I see how they nest in the garage. I am too "new" to the country to leave my garage door open! What a great story about the wrens. I can just imagine the temporary chaos for you with all that commotion! That was very funny! I can completely see myself in the same situation! I have a rescued track greyhound so he can only be on-leash. I still need to fence part of the yard - right now he goes out on a line. So he doesn't do any patrolling by himself!

The orioles would be such a treat - I hope I get to see one at some point. I know they are sometimes in Iowa, but so far I haven't seen one. I moved here from Canada 6 years ago, so I am still adjusting sometimes!

I'm just so excited about all the space I have for gardening! Woo hoo!! I am not afraid of snakes but am not really excited about them. I would like to see a possum (other than a flat one on the road). I would also like to see a groundhog, although I know they are bad for my garden. And now, I will be watching for wrens!!

Claire

Right after I posted last, DH came inside grinning. He had been strolling around and saw a little face peeking out of an owl box on the barn. A mouse? Up that high? A RAT??? Nope. A..............flying squirrel!!!!! I had never seen one and got some great pictures which I am going to post. DH grew up here, roaming the woods with his granddaddy, so he 'sees' things lots of other folks might miss. Too, flying squirrels are nocturnal, so it was unusual seeing it during the day. I am SO excited!!

(But then a downer.......I came in to watch the Kentucky Derby. Eight Belles, the only filly in the race, worked so hard to come in second. Then she immediately fell, having broken both front ankles, and was immediately euthanized. Being a horse lover, I just sobbed.....)

It's wonderful that you have a rescued greyhound! Both of our dogs were rescued as puppies off the street in a city by my daughter. And what wonderful dogs they have been. A beagle we had raised them, though they were already bigger than she! The pups are almost 10 now and are showing their age, so we really baby them. Sam lost a front leg several years ago, but he's a real trooper and follows me everywhere, grinning. Lila is a hoot, yipping and howling at the coyotes when they get too close at night.

Life has been so good the past few years!

Very cool nest Cmoxon! I saw one last year on the stone wall of a building, also with no ledge below. I noticed what looks like a mud dauber nest above the phoebe nest on your wall. The long mud tube. Daubers are wasps.

OPbirder - thank you so much for identifying that weird mud tube! I saw it and thought it was strange but had no clue what it was. Do you think there are wasps in it now? I have not seen any wasps hanging around....I don't really want them hanging around my front door. Should I scrape it off the wall? Or is it an old nest from last year and not a concern?

Sara Ann - very sad about the Kentucky Derby horse. Such a waste. I just hate that. I am excited to see the pictures of your flying squirrel. If you have posted them, give us a link here! That will be such fun to watch. Your dogs sound great too - amazing how much they become a part of the family.

I checked the phoebe nest this morning with a hand mirror. No eggs yet but the inside of it looks nicely lined with soft grasses and feathers. Mummy phoebe was nowhere to be seen - probably out catching bugs!

Claire

Claire, you don't need to worry about the mud daubbers, other than the messy nests. They don't sting like wasps. But they are noisy....constantly buzzing. Your Phoebe may catch quite a few of them, keeping the numbers down.

Claire...congrats on the Phoebe nest! I love those birds and they seem very friendly and tolerant of humans. I also have a pair building on the light fixture on the front porch but haven't seen them for a few days! Good luck with yours and hope we get to see pics of baby Phoebe's!!

Dellrose - mine started to build the nest and I thought they had abandoned it because I didn't see them for a few days. I think (clever birds!) they let the mud parts dry out for a couple of days and then started back at it. I thought I had scared them away, but it probably took about 2 weeks total for that nest to get built. Yours are probably taking their sweet time, just like mine did!

Glad to know the daubers aren't going to be an issue! And maybe will give extra food to my baby phoebes!

Thanks for letting me know that CMoxon...it makes sense! They built there last year but I was so clueless I didn't even notice. They are building on the old nest!!

Daubers sure are ugly, though. Hope the phoebes enjoy them.

Phoebes picked such a great spot CMoxon - very well protected from the weather and predators.

I have an egg in my phoebe nest!! Woo hoo!!!

Thats wonderful Claire! I can't wait to see all these different fledglings!

How exciting is that!!

My book says she should have 3 to 8 eggs, so I hope she is not finished yet!

That's so cool that she's nesting where you can keep such a close watch!

My dad sent me a pic a few years ago of some Swallows (I think) that nest on their carport every year. I thought they were really cute.

HA! Very cute. They look like a handful!

Ohhhh, they are adorable!!! They are almost too big for their nest in that pic!

Thanks, Dad loves his birds. The hummers just flock to him too, that's where I got my love of animals.

I only see Swallows "on the wing" around here, never even seen any Barn Swallows nesting in the barn or the shop, just the occasional wren.

I don't think I've ever seen a Eastern Phoebe either, although E-bird says they should be here, I'll have to keep a watch out for them.

I can always tell my phoebe even from a distance because of the way she wags her tail around when sitting on a branch. I haven't seen any swallows yet, though.

When I looked at those baby swallows, I thought Mrs. Ed would have a funny caption for them! And there you were in the next reply!

HA OP! Nanny is usually the caption person! I did think about that they looked like the Edward G. Robinson cartoon version in Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Yah, ya see… you're gunna give us some bugs… ya see… or we're gunna plug ya!

HA! LOL

I love those baby Swallows! We have Swallows and Phoebes nesting in the barn and I checked and have eggs in two of the nests!!

Wow Rose. Are you doing that Nestwatch with either of them?

I've never heard of that...what am I missing?

Another Cornell thing:

http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nest/home/index

Thanks Mrs. Ed...I'm gonna sign up for it!!

I've got 7 nests on Nestwatch - 3 bluebird, 1 blue jay, 1 robin, 1 phoebe, and 1 chipping sparrow. :-)

Checked today, 3 eggs in the phoebe nest! Yay!

Good for you!! Isn't this fun?????

Claire, Thats great!

Man! That's great news CM!

It is great! I'm completely excited about seeing all these baby birds - my parents will be visiting from Canada for 2 weeks starting on the 16th, so I'm hoping they may get to see baby bluebirds, if not phoebes and blue jays too. It will be awesome for them to see all the great natural aspects of my new home. They love birds too, but some of the ones I have here are ones they never see (like bluebirds). I'm scared at the same time about any of the nests being attacked by predators. I know it's nature's way, but I will find that hard to handle when it happens.