Spot on Sun Room ( Bird's Nests )

~~~Our sun-room is a small room that is full of my bird's nests, and geraniums spending the winter in more agreeable climate, the assorted house plants and one very, very noisy bird. Here is a bird's nest in the chandelier in our sun room.~~~"Most birds build a new nest each year.Some that have more than one brood each season will build a new nest for each brood." Peterson's Field Guides' WESTERN BIRD"S NESTS~~Another bird nest in our sun room displayed by the field guide to bird's nests.( below) "Exact time of year when each species nests is not given, principally because it is impossible to be accurate. Not only does nesting time vary from south to north and from sea level to mountaintop, in the range of some species, but it varies greatly in the same species in the same geographic location. External factors such as rainfall, temperature, water levels, amount of snowfall, and similar phenomena may influence time of nesting from year to year." Peterson Field Guides WESTERN BIRD"S NESTS ( book displayed below) ~Even MORE bird's nests...I have bird's nests in the plants and trees in my sun room. I found the book identifying bird's nests ( above ) in an antique store. I still have not identified all my bird's nests, but it is fun trying. By the way, all bird's nests except one , were collected well after nesting season and most of the eggs in the nests are from my Zebra finches and doves, and a few eggs are from my tiny bantam hens. "Even during breeding season the place where an adult bird is discovered is not necessarily the place where it's nest is located." Peterson Field Guide ~This little fairy (below)is in her own nest, and I placed her in a big pot with a fig tree and there are a few bird's nests in the pot and in the fig tree.

~Here is a close up of the little fairy in her nest. ~

~Here is another nest in an IKEA candle lantern. In the spring I hang this lantern on my porch. "The nest itself is described in detail ( in book) Materials will vary with availability. For some species this has been noted, but readers should bear in mind that Spanish Moss would no more be available to a bird in Montana than spruce needles would be to a bird in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The basic structure of of the nest of most species is so uniformly true to type that even though materials used may vary, the format generally does not. An American Robin nest in Washington or Oregon with mosses built into it still looks very much like a Robin's nest in Arkansas with mud and grasses predominating." (fr. above mentioned guide book) ~I placed this nest in a small fig tree in my sun room. There are some very long, coarse hairs ( I think horse hairs ) in this nest, and some fishing line ! "Birds, like people, often display individual traits that defy rules. There is much truth in the old saying "Birds never read the books." Consequently , we find a maverick Northern Oriole near a fishing lake that has built its hanging nest of monofiliament fishline;" Peterson Field Guide ~This nest too has some fish line. We don't live too close to any body of water used for fishing...but there are a lot of fishermen in the area. "a White-necked Raven that used barbed wire for the foundation of it's nest on an old piece of farm machinery; a Great Crested Flycatcher that substituted cellophane for snake- skins; a Solitary Vireo near a campsite that constructed the outer part of it's basket like nest from facial tissues and paper napkins." Peterson Field Guide ~Why am I blogging about bird's nests in the fall ? Well, I have had to bring my geraniums into the sun room for the winter and now I have to rearrange my bird nests, and also, this is the time of year I add more nests to my collection. The birds are done nesting. As I clean things up and move the nests around I take time to look closely at the nests. I am still amazed at the intricate structures birds build using only their beaks and feet. How do they weave the materials into such perfect little baskets and hollows for their eggs and to rear young ?Some of the nests I have are composed of feathers, wool from my sheep, yarn, dog hairs that look suspiciously like yellow Lab fur. ~~~"If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young;/ But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest prolong thy days." This quote is supposed to be from the Bible but I have not found the source yet. However, I found it interesting,. K.B.