Nesting Instinct

 Song - Two of Us by The Beatles

The other day I saw a flash of brilliant blue outside the window.  I figured it was a Blue Jay or most likely a Steller's Jay because they seem to be a deeper blue. But when I got up to look I found this little fellow on our deck gate.  

He flew over to Mr. B's birdhouse and looked inside.  Four out of the last five years Oak Titmice have made a nest in that house but this year maybe I will get some Bluebirds nesting in our yard!

Within minutes a Titmouse began building a nest inside.  I guess he or she decided that they were not ready to move quite yet! I looked down at the deck and there was a smattering of twigs beneath the birdhouse so I guess they have been working on their nest for a while (I just hadn't noticed).

I'm wondering how she is going to get that long twig in through that tiny hole but she found that by turning the twig sideways it would fit.  I was so proud of her!

Nearby there were a couple of feeders that I moved further away today so the Titmouse won't have to worry about other birds waking the kids! 

"Look closely. The beautiful may be small."   

--Emmanuel Kant

Mounting Evidence

Song - Little Darlin by The Diamonds

Yep.....clear evidence that someone is busy building.....a nest!

Oh hello little Ms. Titmouse.....in the bird house!

 This morning I woke up extra early and saw this little Oak Titmouse with a mouthful of moss.  I watched as she flew straight into Mr. B's rustic bird house.  This is the fourth straight year they have built a nest here. 

Enough with the moss, it's time for some twigs!


They just brighten my day so much.

"I don't feed the birds because they need me;

I feed the birds because I need them." 

--Kathi Hutton

Nesting Instinct

Song - You've Got a Friend in Me by 4-year old Claire Ryann and Dad

Suddenly Spring is here!  After months of rain my bulbs are flowering, the trees all have baby shoots on them and the birds are so happy right now......as love is in the air!

 These are Band-Tailed Pigeons and while daddy watches out for hawks......

....mama takes a little rest and looks around to see if it's a nice neighborhood to raise a brood in.

 Meanwhile a couple of Oak Titmouse are building a nest in Mr. B's wedding ranch bird house for the third year in a row! They sing to each other in the sweetest way and both are working on building the nest.

 Luckily I wired the house onto the Japanese Maple tree several weeks ago so now it's pretty stable.

 Mama bird didn't like a piece of moss that daddy bird brought in.......

.....so it's outta here!

And just beneath their house are a bunch of twigs that were too big to fit through the hole!

A work in progress......

I'll let you know when I hear the pitter-patter of little birdie feet!

"Sometimes, simply by sitting, 

the soul collects wisdom."

~Zen proverb

Our Sunset Chickadee

Song - Little Bird, Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell

 As many of you know, we have had a Chestnut Backed Chickadee living in our outdoor light fixture on our back deck.  He/she comes every evening at sunset and although the last few nights I have set up my tripod & camera to catch this fast little being coming in for a landing, I just can not seem to be fast enough......

 .....until now!  

She comes just before sunset and gets a drink of water and a bite to eat.  Sometimes she will stay in the nearby tree and other times she flies off for awhile only to return shortly.

 She always lands on this same branch on our October Glory Maple tree and checks out the situation.  Some evenings she calls out and other times she just observes for awhile.

 The other night I had everything set up and I focused my camera on the light fixture instead of the tree.  And I waited.....and waited......

 ....she flew from the tree, under the umbrella and up to the fixture quickly.

 She grabbed hold of the base of the fixture.....

 ....and pushed herself up inside.......

....and left me waiting right where I began!

Only now I had a big smile on my face.....



"The chickadee and the nuthatch are more inspiring society than statesmen and philosophers, and we shall return to these last as more vulgar companions."

--Henry David Thoreau

Love Is In The Air

Song - Steppin' Out With My Baby by Tony Bennett

Several days ago Mr. B told me that he saw two Mourning Doves on our fence checking out our ladder for a nest - once again.  Since I put up this nesting box last fall under our eves, I was hoping that they would use it instead. 

So Mr. B moved the ladder so it wouldn't be so tempting. Now the squirrels are using it to climb up and down and chase each other around.  Oh boy....a toy!

Mr. B wanted me to start a nest for the birds so that they would get the idea of what to do with the nesting box - ha!  I think Mother Nature provides them with their own nesting ideas!!!

And the very next day - sure enough they had begun their work - at least I thought it was just the beginning.  Apparently they think it's finished!

This morning when I checked on them, mama was on the nest and daddy was watching from the fence. But I didn't have my camera with me.

Then later in the afternoon, I checked on them and daddy was still on the fence but mama was up on the roof of our house just above the nest.  I hope they enjoy their new home. I'll keep you posted.


Some interesting facts about Mourning Doves:

--the oldest known Mourning Dove was 30 years 4 months old

--they tend to mate for life and both parents incubate and take care of the young

--they have 3-5 clutches each season

--they have 2 white eggs that are born 1 day apart

--the eggs hatch in 14-16 days

--the fledglings leave the nest in 11-12 days and on day 12 they are cut off from food to encourage them to leave - talk about tough love!!!!!

"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling."

 ~ Margaret Lee Runbeck