Saturday, April 17, 2010

Back Again

Since I've been feeding wild birds all winter, I had no doubt some would stay to nest around the house this spring. Birds like free food. So the first item on my guy's spring to-do list was to 1) screen in the porch so nothing nested in it and 2) do something about that garden wall cabinet we inherited from our house's previous owner. You guys might remember it; it's the cabinet on top of which mourning doves nested last spring -- twice.

"We can't take it off the wall," he told me. "It's bolted through the siding, and it'll leave a big ugly hole."

"Okay," I said, "but you've got to do something about the top of the ledge to discourage those doves from nesting there again." I didn't want to spend all Spring going out every morning to look for smashed eggs or helpless fledglings writhing on the ground.

My guy did a lovely job screening in the porch, which means I won't have to worry about finding another nest of wrens in my potted plants. His solution with the cabinet outside the porch, however, was to push the two birdhouses on top of the ledge together so there was no room for nest building. I didn't think this would work, and told him that. About a week after he moved the birdhouses, something (a dove, perhaps?) worked its way between the two houses and started building a nest. I spotted the gap and the twigs and pointed them out to him:





My guy cleaned off the ledge, pushed the houses back together again, and promised me he'd keep an eye on it while I was out of town. Which he evidently forgot to do, so when I got back home from my trip, guess what I found?

Yep.



She didn't build her nest between the two houses this time. She built it in front of the smaller house, right on the very edge of the ledge.



I swear, she's smirking.

This is why the first item on my to-do list for today -- after I check the dove to make sure she and her eggs are okay -- is to move our grill into the garage.

13 comments:

  1. They never want to go where they belong, lol.
    But isn't she beautiful?? ;)

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  2. [giggle} and here I was picturing you out there putting a comfy exercise mat out there to pad the landing for them!

    Word verification is reepot - I think it should be reenest.

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  3. Anonymous3:22 AM

    I suspect your guy has a soft spot for the doves. :)
    JulieB

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  4. Maybe the answer is to build up the sides so eggs and babies can't roll off when birds do nest on top of it, since they seem determined.

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  5. Such a nice gesture!

    I guess the dove has an idea,It's for them. ;)

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  6. Keita Haruka9:29 AM

    And so it starts..this year's influx of animals.

    Awwwwww! :D I envy you so much. Here were I live, you never see that.

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  7. She so pretty. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a safe nesting season for you both.

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  8. Well, um...she made a lovely picture...and you get to say I TOLD YOU SO.

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  9. ROFL!!! Move the grill in the garage.

    I agree with something across the front of the ledge. Even if it's only an inch high, it would keep everyone on the ledge instead of on the ground. Because birds are determined little things and will nest there, no matter what you do.

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  10. Awwwww! They LOVE you.

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  11. We have one spot on our front porch where the column connects to the roof and it makes a sorta ledge.

    I told my husband to put up a barrier of some sort every year since we moved in 6 years ago. And every year he says he'll do it...and then when he finally goes to do it...there is a baby bird chirping at him.

    This year finally in February he went to block it. Except there was already a nest there again (with a mom and dad bird). No eggs or baby yet...so he moved the nest and stuck a piece of wood to block it. Hopefully they can nest in our trees.

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  12. Wow, beautiful bird! You take lovely photos. :3

    ~TRA

    http://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com

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  13. She wants to nest where she wants to nest, darn it! No fool humans are going to mess up her plans.

    Actually, I think the bird and her nest look very pretty with those rustic birdhouses, almost as if she's part of the decor. As long as she and the eggs are safe (maybe that ledge?), I'd be fine with her there. But I agree moving the grill is probably a wise idea.

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