Unusual Nests
Birds sometimes choose
unusual locations for their nests. Ironically these are
often the easiest to find and photograph. Peering at a
blackbird nest deep in a
hedge where it is reasonably safe is one thing; getting
a photo without
destroying the birds much desired cover is another.
Here a blackbird for some reason thought the Climbing
rose trellis 2 foot
(60cm) from the front door was a good spot. It went OK
for a while and they
started incubating 5 eggs, but a day or so later they
were gone. We suspect our
local magpies or Jackdaws rather than little boys, as we
decided to keep it off
the web site until events unfolded. Only people like the
postman knew about it
as they ducked to avoid the panicking bird.
We are quite
used to our jackdaws nesting in the Kestrel Box, Little
Owl box, Great Spotted
Woodpecker box, and down the Chimneys. But in 2000, as
well as these others, a pair chose a
pigeon box (intended for Collared Doves but which has
never had anything) with an entrance only
about 5 ft (1.5m) off the ground. The huge heap of
twigs at the base of the pole are the sticks that
they couldn't get in! The construction of the box and
the height of the nest inside prevented us even
seeing anything inside, let alone take a photograph.
We are told a nest of this height is very unusual.
This is probably a good thing - - the nest was
abandoned after about a month with no outcome.
We wanted House martins to nest in the eves, but
the eves are the
wrong shape to attract them, so we put up a horizontal
board and
some 'starter homes'. Well the House martins completely
ignore
them (to start with for a good reason - they fill up
with water
unless you drill a hole in the bottom!). But the space
above the
board is not sealed, and Starlings have made one or two
nests
above it for a number of years - and very successfully
too. Here is
one of the parents delivering a beakfull of something
squishy to the
incredibly noisy young. By the end of the seaon the
wall needs a
clean with a pressure washer from top to bottom!
This site has now been used for several years and in 2007 the Jackdaws decided to use it and the area is festooned with twigs and nesting materials.
On 10 April 2007 we noticed a pair of bluetits
hanging around in an old apple
tree waiting for us to depart the area. Their interest
was in an old and
probably never used bat-box which something had widened
the entrance slot
so that it now just fits a bluetit.
This entry made 13 Apr 2007 so don't yet know how it will go.