A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Seen any cool nests?

Yes. As a matter of fact I've seen quite a few! I haven't seen this website, though and I am bookmarking it......NOW!!!!

Walking through in my yard the other day I noticed something on top of this old posts.




had to get closer to see what is was




it's hanging by a thread

Cool, Sheri.
I always get excited when I see nests. Even abandoned ones. I am not sure why. But more fun than bird watching to me.

Surprisingly, there's been VERY LITTLE work done on categorizing the types of nests that birds build. The nests of some species of birds are well known but there's been no concerted effort to categorize ALL nests of ALL bird species. It's something we discuss from time to time on Birder's World Forum. I try to get pictures of the nests I find especially if they have the Mom and/or babies present. I have captured Cardinal, Dove, Robin, and Eastern Kingbird nests in my yard.

there's no feathers in that nest or evidence of recent home owners but that post has been there since we moved in and I've never noticed it sitting there before. I thought maybe Johnny had just picked it up and sat it there but it's connected - barely but it is connected.

Looks like a Robin's nest does it contain dried mud and dried grass?

don't know. I'll check tomorrow. Surely a robin would have more sense than to put a nest out in the open.

We had a cardinal nest in one of our shrubs a couple years ago. Unfortunately it was built in a shrub that is only a few feet tall and something got the nest and I found broken eggs one morning. Probably a cat or a raccoon I imagine.

Cardinals usually build their nests in SMALL bushes LESS than 5 feet tall

This one I found in my tree today,,
There is a lot of different materials to build this one,
Plastic, gauze, string,, looks like some kind of upholstery stuffing ,twigs, and I see where some of my coconut fiber lining went to from a flower pot of mine it's a fairly good sized nest too,,

talking about nests! should one remove the previouse one I have a robin insists on nesting on a ledge under the eve of my house I removed last years and she nested same place unfortunately something got into it she then built again next to it only to have the same thing happen'. I then placed some chicken wire around the area but she hasn"t returned .Should I remove old nests and give up for this year !!

Thorny could these possibly be a mockingbird nests in the picture in the above post?? This is the tree I see them most fly to and sing from??

Bringing this back up,, This is the tree I see Mockingbirds in alot,, could this be a MB nest??? ANYONE know??

It COULD be a Mocker's nest. I've never actually seen Mr. Mocky's nest. I think he nests about 100 yards away from my house. He just shows up each spring with a bunch o' young'uns in tow.

Robins use each nest ONCE each season. They build a new one the next spring nearby the old one but NOT on the same spot for security reasons. Robins, Barn Swallows, and Eastern Phoebes WILL nest on your porch if you build and put up a nest platform for them. Here are plans for a platform.

American Robin, Barn Swallow, Eastern Phoebe, Nest Platform Plans

I think your nest might be a Robin's Nest, a very TRASHY Robin's nest. I did a Google Image Search on Mockingbird Nests, and noticed that they were ALL a MASS of pencil-sized twigs on the outside, with a neat perfect cup of soft, warm, dry, grass on the inside. The eggs are a tourquoise greenish-blue, with large brown spots.

so Diane, you have a "very trashy" bird in your yard. Maybe following in the footsteps of you and Shirley????

All of my end of season nests are usually pretty trashed. The only ones that really hang together well are the hummingbird nests. I think they use super glue. Or those long beaks are better for 'knitting'.

I've personally seen only ONE Hummingbird nest, about 10 years ago. Momma Hummer was sitting on it at the time with her bill pointing straight up......Absolutely adorable......and so TINY!

I have seen a number of them. Usually when mama or papa is sitting the other parent will be darting around your head trying to spook you off. It works.
Most nests I have seen were at eye level to the ground. And two eggs. But only one usually is able to mature because the nest isn't big enough to harbor two chicks.
One awesome one was on a bolt end sticking out of my chain link gate about 3 1/2 ft above ground. No shrubbery around to obstruct the view. Another was centered on a palm frond at an apartment complex I lived at for a while. It was quite tall off the ground but from the second floor balcony you could look down into it. (and reach it). When that baby first left the nest he got a little stunned and was sitting on the ground. My daughter picked him up and brought him in to me. We took him back out and he perked up and flew off with mom and pop. I have held another stunned one since.
I think some winter over here from up north. And we have others that stay with us all year. I don't put out feeders but I do grow beloved bloom year round for them.

~~~~~~~~~


I too have seen a hummingbirds Nest,, Though at the time I hadn't realized what it was. I was severely trimming the bushes on the side of my house and saw what I thought was just some odd tiny cup shaped growth off of inner limbs of the bush,, but after looking up what humming birds nest generally look like I know now know that is what it was, I'm pretty sure of it. There were two of them in different places,very far apart about the size of a large walnut in half. Now when I trim back the bushes and trees Dwight and I are very very careful, and really look in as well as we can, before we start cutting.

just teasing Diane. Two trashy women out in the yard. My mind - what am I going to do with it?

Sheri, I just saw this and was a little stunned, I must say.
I understand the 'trashy bird' part, because the bird did use a lot of trash in building that nest
Maybe you meant the rest to be funny, but I didn't take it as funny.
In all seriousness, I would like for you to tell me what you meant by such a remark.
What is it that you find trashy about me or about Diane?
I would really like a reply, because I don't understand this post at all, and yes, it did hurt my feelings, not make me laugh......and I'm always laughing about everything. You could reply in a PM if you would rather. Thanks Sheri.

I'll reply right here Shirley because it certainly wasn't intended to hurt anyones feeling. I thought I was making a funny remark about a funny remark that was made about the nest. I thought everyone here had a sense of humor and posted friendly banter. I didn't realize you have sensitive feelings since you joke some too and didn't mean for you to take it as an insult.

and speaking of nest, trashy or otherwise the cardinal continues to sit on hers.





We have put out Critter Ridder and blood meal in an effort to keep the cat and any other creatures from getting to her and her babies because this nest is very low in a camelia shrub.

Sheri thanks for answering. I don't have sensitive feelings and I do joke a lot I just could not understand the 'trashy.....following in the footsteps of you (Diane) and Shirley'. I've looked at that over and over trying to see what part was the funny part, because I do like to laugh and can take a joke on me, easily, but I honestly can't find it.
I understand the nest was full of trash and it is funny, but how is it following in our footsteps? I'm not trying to be pig-headed or anything, but if you explained the humor to me maybe I would 'get it'. :wink: I usually see the humour in most everything, but for some reason this morning I'm just not 'getting it'. Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet.

Sheri that is a cute picture!!!! I love the way she seems to be peeking out from behind that leaf!!!

I was thinking since you had visited Diane lately and had a great time out in the yard laughing and drinking that the birds watched and laughed and drank in birdville and ended up with a messy or trashy nest because they were having so much fun while trying to make it. I wasn't implying that I think you guys are trashy women. How would I have an opinion on that one way or the other? I didn't even have that thought in my brain.

Now that reason for the post I can understand!!
None of that came through at all!!! Sorry, and thank you for explaning!! Now that is funny!! Under those circumstances, maybe Diane and I were helping build it!!!

That is an awesome shot of a cardinal sitting, Sheri. I wish we had cardinals here. I might be more interested in bird watching myself if we had them.
I understood the fun meant in your post. I love the thought of the birds being distracted from their tasks because of people watching.

I just hope that cardinal can live to see her children grow up. After putting all that stuff around that part of the yard Lizzy was sleeping on the steps right beside that shrub. I went out the door on the other side of the house, walked around the front of the house away from the shrub, got a stick and started ruffling the leaves on shrubs as far away as I could get from that camellia. I finally got Lizzy's attention and she followed me to the back door, which is on the other side of the house from the shrub, where I gave her a treat. I'm sure she thinks humans are crazy and I just proved it to her. I don't know what else to do.

I think you did well, Sheri. About as much as you can do.

Spectacular Cardinal picture, Sheri! That should be put on Picli AND Ultimate Photo Battle!

thanks Thornius. I'll do that. Now stop getting me in trouble please.

I'm SO sorry. I love EVERYBODY here.

and we all love you right back.

Here are some COOL nests!

Yep, pretty cool.

the cardinal is still there. Lizzy did go around there a time or two but she acted like her feet were hurting, she kept licking them, then she went and drank a bunch of water. I think maybe that Critter Ridder has cayanne pepper in it (smells sort of like it) so maybe she won't go back.