In case you haven’t heard, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is collecting photos and stories of unusual nest locations – and there are prizes!
The contest is called Funky Nests in Funky Places. Here’s one of them from their contest entry page. Imagine nesting on a tire.
When I heard about the contest I couldn’t resist signing up the Don’t Walk Robin from last April. Remember her? She was the one who nested on a Don’t Walk traffic signal. Not only did I make her famous here on the blog but she’s now Entry #107 in the contest.
Last night I looked at the contest entries online and some of them made me laugh out loud. The Don’t Walk Robin is a serious bird compared to Entry #5 who is nesting next to the words “Slam It.” Check out Entries #38 and #50 while you’re at it on the Funky Nest Entries Directory.
(photo linked from Cornell University, Funky Nests in Funky Places)
Those are some interesting nests. At my mom’s old house we had a wooden porch covered with a roof supported by 3 brick pillars on which the roof seemingly sat on the edges leaving an open area on top of the pillars between the roof. Well, we always had mourning doves (I think) nesting one corner pillar which my mom didn’t like because they would poop all over our porch furniture. Every spring she would try to block the area with a box to prevent them from building a nest, but every year they would eventually win out. Ultimately, they switched to the opposite corner so they weren’t pooping on the furniture anymore (though my mom still didn’t like them since they still pooped all over the porch and railing along with the occasional egg falling out of the nest. We also had to watch out when it was fledging time. One time, me and my mom were in the front yard doing various yardwork and I was walking up the sidewalk in front of the porch but looking out toward the yard talking to my mom and failed to notice the bird sitting on the railing which proceded to zoom out right past my face as I passed. We may have also had birds nesting in a crawlspace after they got in through a gap between the woodwork and brickwork around the edge of the 3rd floor roof. My mom was always afraid to go into that crawlspace even though there was heavy plastic covering the roof beams preventing the birds from truly entering the crawlspace.
This won’t qualify as a “funky nest” story since it’s only a memory now. We have an aluminum porch stoop, with the roof supported by inverted braces. For several years, English sparrows nested in the space. It was wonderful for them—totally protected from weather and predators. Like J, we had a few close calls with protective parents. One Sun morning, I went out to find the male calling and crying. I looked up and saw the mother dead and gaping from the brace. What to do on a Sunday morning? I could hear the chicks too. I called the Game Commission (not interested), Schenley Park (not interested–are you seeing a pattern?). Finally, the Aviary told me the mother had probably died during egg-laying, and that to save the chicks, I could bring them in, keep them warm, and feed them with an eyedropper every time they screamed. Did I mention that I was working full-time and had a spaniel-type (AKA Bird dog)?! That wasn’t going to work.
He grieved for a good 24 hours, and then went on his way. We took down the nest, but haven’t had birds there since.
April 23, 2010
I purchased a grapevine wreath that was quite deep from the side view. I put it on my front door under the overhang.
Every morning I would find the vines pulled from the wreath. Amazingly, it began to form into a nest.
The American Robin had made a home for herself and her babies.
I found one blue egg this morning. I accidently opened the door when she was in the nest and she flew away. I hope she comes back as she has a baby waiting for her.
We all use the back door to enter the house and I roped off the steps and taped the inside door shut so no one will use this entrance.
I will be heartbroken if she does not return.