She's clearly confused!

Discussion in 'Member's Gallery' started by Ronni, Jun 14, 2017.

  1. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    So I have this large pothos on Ed's back porch. It's a houseplant, but I take it outside in the warmer months. I noticed it was looking sort of strangely shaped near its base, and upon investigation discovered that a bird had made a nest in there. I thought birds only nested in trees! Apparently I know nothing.
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    Seemed like the bird was going in and out randomly, and I don't know much about birds, but I figured if there was a nest, there would eventually be eggs. Sure enough.
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    Wow. 7 eggs. The nest is small (hard to see scale from the image) and the bird that I would see hopping in and out was pretty small too, but I had no clue what type.Paige is such a bird-nerd, so i sent her pics of the nest, the eggs, and then finally a really fuzzy pic of the bird that I snuck up on. I don't know how much detail you can make out, but there was enough apparently for her to immediately identify the bird as a Carolina Wren.
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    Apparently that many eggs is typical for that type of bird. The eggs were laid over several days. After a while, she started spending most of her time in the nest. Incubation stage I guess. The plant/nest is right by the back door, so it was freaking her out for a while every time we went in or out. But then after she laid her full clutch, I guess she either got more used to us, or she became more protective, or maybe both, but she stopped flying away every time there was activity in and out of the door. Paige says that they typically incubate the eggs for 12 - 16 days. So by next week sometime there will be babies.

    My biggest concern is Ed's cat. She's an avid hunter, and when those babies fledge I don't know how to keep them safe. I guess we'll just try and keep the cat fully inside till all the babies are gone. Gonna be a drag, but I just can't have dead baby birds on my conscience. :eek:
     
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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Do you know what type of bird it is? I have known of Doves that nested in hanging plants and one at a local herb shop several years ago that chose a nice big pot of Basil to nest in. Depending on the bird they can choose whatever appeals to them.
    Cats wandering the neighborhood should not be happening for oh so many reasons.... so keeping it inside will be a displeasure for the cat and possibly it's humans but it is safer for the cat and those baby birds.
     
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  4. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Thats what we had in our garage recently. Still do not know where the wren hid her nest. I went to feed one day and baby birds were everywhere. But they are close to flying when they leave the nest and within two days there was no sign of baby wrens on the ground but you could hear them chirping in the trees.
     
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  5. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    Paige, my bird-nerd resident expert tells me it's a Carolina Wren.
     
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  6. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Wrens build their nests in the strangest places sometimes. I've heard of them making a home in a vase, a watering can, a post box, a railway ticket machine and even in an old swallows nest. I hope this little one manages to raise her youngsters in safety even although she's so close to the ground.
     
  7. waretrop

    waretrop Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Ronni, I just want to share this with you. Keep it in mind when you find out what kind of bird you have there....just stand back for a while and you will find out what it is.

    bird cart.jpg
    bird cart1.jpg
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    So if you think you have to hand that plant to keep it away from kitty, the parents will follow the nest and babies cries. Wrens have a cute chatter...when you walk up to the babies..You will know if they are wrens and they especially will follow the babies.

    We move this cart around every week and the parents have never left the babies..
     
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  8. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    Barb, thanks so much for this info!!! What a great idea... and I LOVE all your bird houses! :heart:

    FYI the bird has been identified as a Carolina Wren.
     
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  9. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    Does she come out scream at you when you are close by? I have a fuschia in the greenhouse I can't sell....it has a nesting Carolina week in it too. She drives me crazy.
    Autocorrect drives me crazy too. A Carolina week? I wrote "wren"
    but it changed it for me...again.
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2017
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  10. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    She gets pretty bitchy, that's for sure! :p When we're out on the porch (we grill out on the w/e's) she yells and screams at us from across the porch till she realized we're not going anywhere and not going to do anything TO her, and then she settles back in.
     
  11. waretrop

    waretrop Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Carolina Wrens are the best mothers....they drive you crazy if you get too close to their nests....for sure...I love them. We once had a pair live in our basement for many years.
     
  12. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    Awwwww. :heart:

    She flew out of the nest when I approached it to see if there was any progress. Until I'm actually looming over the thing, I can't see if Mama bird is in there or not, so we scare the pants off of each other when I finally do get close enough! :D

    Anyway, I just took this one shot, because she was across the porch yelling at me the whole time and I didn't want to keep her away from her babies any longer than necessary. I'm heading over to Ed's tonight for dinner, so I'll see if I can get a head count today.

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Aww brand new babies!!:smt041:smt041 Our blackbird is sitting on eggs so I hope the dog doesn't disturb her if he's out in the back garden.
     

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