grateful Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 (edited) Scene: Out in the garden; new hedgeclippers in hand (!) Euonymous, Evergreens and small Firs to be trimmed. My better half chimes in, "if you trim, I'll rake" (good)First, I had at the large shrubs at the curb; did a bang up job but needed six feet of husband to get to a few branches at the top of the shrub, and to round it offafter trmming away at the small evergreen behind them, I noticed what looked like straw - ugh, it was a birds nestand from the sparrow sqwaking at me from the tree above, I can only assume it was hersI had exposed the nest; initially, I thought it was empty, then I saw the three little eggs - I didn't know what to do, so so I built a "tent" with the branches to protect it from predators but accesible to momand I said to my darling, "Please don't go near the evergreen behind the euynemous,there is a sparrows nest with three little eggs"yes, perhaps he thinks that I sound like Charlie Brown's teacher (I'm really not nattering at all) but for god's sake, why don't you listen when I talk! The scene ends with me wandering out an hour or so later to start picking up the clippings (himself was having a sandwich and watching the Phillies); like I said, not a nag; I had rested and was ready to start rakingHe had done a beautiful job with the large shrub but had also finished neatly pruning the small evergreen; the nest was on the ground, the three eggs splattered nearbywhy don't you listen when I talk?(he was sad, but for bleeps sake!)I moved the nest to a crepe myrtle at my patio, it's a pretty, perfect little nest Edited June 26, 2011 by grateful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawzo Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 I was cutting the lawn last year in the backyard and having to shove the mower into a a large shrub to get under it. I knocked a robin's egg out of the nest and it broke and I felt terrible. Now I'm very careful around that bush, yet today when I was cutting around it a baby bunny just bigger than a mouse barely escaped the front edge of the mower and scampered off. I would have been devasted if it hadn't of been fast enough to just barely missed being mulched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grateful Posted June 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 lucky little bunny!I think he'll be more careful nowwe were on our hands and knees under the shrub looking for the eggs, then we saw the nest and eggs on the walkwayI couldn't help but spend a moment thinking he was a cretin though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven's Trikes Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 (edited) It was sure a close call for that lil' wabbit...... no cretin here hon, no elephant either, we do see a few squirrels, a porcupine, and an 'ol bird with a seven inch wingspan..not sure how often he flies, from my observation he's often found around obscure ponds and rather hard to find places, but he's easy enough to spot as he makes his daily rounds and does the things that birds normally would do. Edited June 27, 2011 by Ravenstrikes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atwater Vitki Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Aw...sad when we make mistakes like that. Accidentally injuring a pet or animal is terrible enough, but when people deliberately do it,...I tell ya, Thor and Tiw could have a field day with their essence and I would merely offer them diligence! We feel so terrible just stepping on the toes of our little one now as they are "foot huggers" and no matter how careful we are...!! Good thing it's only socks or rubber bottom light sandals this time of year!I'm sure hubby will get a few "Listens!" in the near future, eh grateful?? But I'm sure he's paid the price already in guilt!Blessings of Peace, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grateful Posted June 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I have decided to let him live sure we will both be much more careful with the hedge clippers (what I learned is that even in low shrubbery, the nests are often fairly close to the top, I didn't know that)could never wrap my head around intentional abuse of animals - pets and wildlife make my life exceedingly brighter, am thrilled to share the planet with them(the sparrows still appear to be giving me the evil eye) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Michael Sky Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 ahh, Grateful - be thankful it was not a crow's nest - they would remember your face for years, and teach all of their young to fear you....watch "A Murder of Crows" on PBS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grateful Posted June 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 ahh, Grateful - be thankful it was not a crow's nest - they would remember your face for years, and teach all of their young to fear you....watch "A Murder of Crows" on PBSha! that reminds me of a few jays and crows that would go after the grey "outside cat" across the street(they never really hurt him) so it was quite hilarious to see them chasing him out of the treesI've always liked that "a murder of crows".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Michael Sky Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 ha! that reminds me of a few jays and crows that would go after the grey "outside cat" across the street(they never really hurt him) so it was quite hilarious to see them chasing him out of the treesI've always liked that "a murder of crows"....Jays are so militant - like watching lil avian Navy Seals.... you're tempted to call them antisocial, until you watch them among their own... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawzo Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Being a Birder myself I hate to admit that I despise swallows. Those little dive bombers bring out the worst in me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Michael Sky Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Being a Birder myself I hate to admit that I despise swallows. Those little dive bombers bring out the worst in me.If you have any titmouse around, there can be interesting arguments with the swallows.... they were a constant source of amusement a few years ago here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawzo Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) If you have any titmouse around, there can be interesting arguments with the swallows.... they were a constant source of amusement a few years ago here...I love titmouse they are cool and come and sing for me quite often in the woods, they are less skitish then most birds....they usually hang out with Carolina Ckickadees though and Nuthatches. I haven't seen any around with swallows.We actually have to spray chemicals inside our awnings to keep the swallows out. I hate doing that because all other birds are welcomed its those darn dive bombers that go for your eyes and wont let anyone near the house if they get a chance to nest that I loathe with a passion. It takes all my retsraint and then some not to whack them out of the air with something hard besides a blast of water now and then lolMy favorite bird of all are owls of any type. I feel like I'm in the presence of royalty when I get near one in the woods. Edited June 29, 2011 by Fawzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grateful Posted June 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 we had a scrub jay that would dive bomb the family room window every morning in no.cal..I love the songs - except at four a.m.....(love them all, am in the presence of royalty with my red tailed hawks)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Michael Sky Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) I'm very lucky to be where I am... I have the ospreys on the water, Several Eagles which live nearby my house, hawks on the phone lines as I ride down Rt 17, and an amazing variety of birds which stop by my house....Lately I have a huge Pileated woodpecker hanging out in the back - sounds like I have construction going on down there... he's easy to spot with his bright red head... and the nuthatches are coming out....and we have had a juvenile owl hanging about - but I haven't seen him, just heard him in the evenings... he's either juvenile or a small owl - he's got a squeaky voice... and I always have my crows coming and going.... strange that I never really liked them until I watched that show.... now they're my buddies, I bring them bread and they don't "yell" at me any more.... they start cawing softly when they land and start munching... ( relax, it's twelve grain pepperidge farms bread... not white bread... ) If you wanna make friends with a crow, give em lil pieces of hotdog... - I mean little, so they don't choke...edit: but they WILL bring a few buddies around to meet you.... Edited June 29, 2011 by Brother Michael Sky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atwater Vitki Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I think one thing we can all agree on is nature is absolutely incredible and when we have the opportunity to live in and with it, we are the one's most blessed by that occurrence. I too have had the awesome experience of red-tail hawks nesting on my property with eagles, egrets, crowned woodpeckers, owls (great, barn and marbled murrelet) and many other birds choosing to live either on or close by our property up in Willow Creek....yes awesome is only one descriptive. Of course the other sparrows, crows, blackbirds and even raven, blue-jays, robins, swallows and various other "common types" were all present as well. Quite often our delight and entertainment was in watching our cats attempt to capture one or the other. Only a few times did they actually succeed, thankfully.I even put up several "bat shingles" (a ring of large cedar shingles, spaced about 2" out - leaving a "cave like gap"- around the mid-sections of spruce pine, about 30' up) and to our delight had a colony of about 60 gray-bats move in within days. Our neighbor, a forester, thought the idea "novel" and was amazed at how quickly they moved in. I think it was the other neighbor's festering, scum covered swimming pool that produced "a billion" mosquitoes a day (it seemed) that did the trick as at dusk the bat swarm was as thick as the mosq's swarm. The overall affect was a noticable decline in mosq activity around our house, about 200 yds from the pool. The guano collected,after just a few months, also made excellent fertilizer for the garden. Blessings of Peace, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bro. Hex Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 ...I even put up several "bat shingles" (a ring of large cedar shingles, spaced about 2" out - leaving a "cave like gap"- around the mid-sections of spruce pine, about 30' up) and to our delight had a colony of about 60 gray-bats move in within days. Our neighbor, a forester, thought the idea "novel" and was amazed at how quickly they moved in... I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around this description, Al. This "thing" that you constructed...Is it sort of like a geodesic dome with one segment open (cave entrance)? Is it "three dimensional"? Ball-shaped or tube shaped"" Or some-other shape? With one entrance or two? And in any case, Good job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grateful Posted June 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 living with it and in it, yes, namasteah, the birds nearing fifty, I became obsessed with birds - the ones who visited me in my garden, the ones I saw in my travels, the ones I wondered about but never "met"... I soon had binoculars and the audubon book (and the app!)it seems ( no, it is) that when I am challenged emotionally, spiritually, philosophically, I can look up and find them - by their very presence, I gain insight and comfort - I am grateful, they bring me peace sucks my sight isn't what it used to be - am just now noticing thatI've become my father; with his tea and the paper every morning, he sat outside and fed "his friends", they WERE his friends(I think that's why the sparrow eggs affected me, he loved the little sparrows "for their sheer will", he said, "they went to "Street U" - just like him)must look up the pileated woodpecker, perhaps that's who has been challenging my patience, pretty thingstill, I must acknowledge that my friends may not be where I am; sitting on the beach, they might not want to discuss the piping plovers and the laughing gulls(you know, they say the gulls are the souls of fisherman lost at sea...I've been able to stop alot of rock thowing w/that little gem!)I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around this description, Al. This "thing" that you constructed...Is it sort of like a geodesic dome with one segment open (cave entrance)? Is it "three dimensional"? Ball-shaped or tube shaped"" Or some-other shape? With one entrance or two? And in any case, Good job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawzo Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Pileated woodpeckers can be rather destucrive as well. They can rip the bark off of trees going after those grubs under the bark. You can always tell when they are pounding on trees compared to the smaller peckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atwater Vitki Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around this description, Al. This "thing" that you constructed...Is it sort of like a geodesic dome with one segment open (cave entrance)? Is it "three dimensional"? Ball-shaped or tube shaped"" Or some-other shape? With one entrance or two? And in any case, Good job! The "Shingle ring" is an idea I learned while working at the County Parks & Water Dept. All you need is the large cedar "shake" shingle, approx 10"x 16", 1x2 pine batten striping cutting two lengths approx 10" long and one cross piece about 8" making 2 legs and a cross piece, 3 sided rectangle with the 1x2.(Fig 1) side view (Fig 2)Twist wire (enough to go around tree trunk) around one 8p galv nail, hammered into tree slide on first "bat shingle" nail another 8p galv, slide on next bat shingle and continue until a ring of shingle around tree as high up as possible. The wire passing through the constructed materials "hangs" the Bat cave" and give the critters something to hang from. Tack another 8p nail towards bottom of shingle to stabilize, do not hammer tight, just snug as tree and weather moves shingle and you don't want it to crack later on.You'll have to excuse my quick and dirty Corel Draws of the idea, but wanted to pass it on for others that may be interested in hanging "bat shingles". Fun and informative for kids too! Figure 1Figure 2Figure 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Michael Sky Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Down south we make Bat Houses which work very well.... It's simply a birdhouse with no bottom and no door hole... separated into two thin chambers ( and I put a piece of thread stock about an inch from the top, on each side - so they can get a good foothold... )They seem to love them, and I can watch half a dozen or so come from each one in the evenings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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