Bird Nests

This is the first picture I remember taking of a bird nest. Took it January 2, 2008. It's in a wisteria vine/bush. I discovered it quite by accident and decided to capture it in a photo. I went back a few days later to see if I could get a better shot/angle, and it was gone! The winds had come and, I suppose, blown it away! I don't have a clue as to the bird species that made it their home. (We have such a wide variety of birds that frequent our yard! And I don't know them all, sorry to say!)The rusty shafts are pine straw (pine needles) and I'm not sure that they were added by winged creatures. I'm about convinced it was the wind that deposited those additions!


This nest was home to a Mockingbird family. I heard before I saw the chicks. When I saw them, Mother Mockingbird gave one sharp, one note warning, and the chicks were silent, and were soon out of sight. I tried valiantly to get pictures of them for several days, but Mom was too good at protecting her family--and I was most likely too invasive. This nest rests in a fig tree with ivy growing all around.

Same nest as first, only closer. See the fuzzy stuff at top and middle? I believe it found some kind of yarn to add to the construction. Don't know if it was a fashion statement or not. Seems like if it were for softness, it would be on the in-side rather on the out. Wish I were taller and could look inside. Now altogether void of feathered friends. *Sigh*

This nest, I believe, is some type of swallow's nest. It's under a roof that shades an observation spot on the Mississippi River near a lock. It's a rather large nest, but we saw no birds nearby. Lots and lots and lots of ladybugs, however!

This nest may have been home to Mockingbirds also. It's very large and well hidden in a pyracantha bush, so I had ever so much trouble in getting close enough to get a picture of any kind. There were too many branches and too many prickles and too many prickly branches in my way, so these three pictures tried to represent, in some fashion, what's there.

Several Red Birds--Cardinals--were checking it out earlier in the year. They must not have liked the accommodations, however, because they didn't stick around for long.

Sorry for the 'fuzz'. I think I got stuck on a prickle. But it's the best shot available to show the size of it!

See the sharp little monsters that kept getting in my way?

This precious little nest rests in a holly bush and is very hard to see from the front of the house. It's much closer to ground level than any of the others, which is why I'm able to look inside from the top. The egg shell has been there for over a year. I believe it did nest Red Birds. We'd never have discovered it, but our front windows allowed my son to see lots of bird family activity from the back of the bush. We were never able to see the birds from the front. Very good parenting, apparently going on in that neighborhood.

I find birds' nests rather fascinating. Actually, I think birds are fascinating.

Same nest with flash. ;-}