The Inquisitive Magpie: June 2011

Before we left to go to Dallas a few days ago, Hubby peeked into the nest and one of the three eggs was missing. Don't know if a predator got it or what happened. There seemed no evidence of a broken egg, and the nest didn't seem messed up. I don't know if birds move their eggs from one nest to another. Anyhow, the missing one was the one I had thought looked a little deformed. I have no idea. When we got home last night the two eggs were still there. It has been 15 days since she layed those two, so I think we should be hearing "cheep cheep" any moment now. We decided not to try and wheel the entire vine away from the door. I guess we will be taking our chances with getting pecked on the head. I do hope we will get a peek at the babies and maybe get a photo of them.

There's a bird by my window. Soon there will be more. I've been trying to figure out how to tell this story in as few words and pictures as possible. For about a week before Memorial Day week-end, I'd been noticing a little more bird noise when I'd leave the house or come back in. We have a large pot with a trellis and vines in it right by the front door. A lot of mornings, one or both of us will sit out there and have our first cup of coffee. There had been a mockingbird hovering around the vine, and I'd seen him fly off with a twig in his mouth several times. I had told Hub that somewhere he was building a nest. Well, it took me about a week to realize he was not taking materials from there, but delivering them TO there. When I turned the pot, I discovered a NEST, right at the back of the trellis. So, Hub and I had this discussion about "should we move the nest, get rid of it, etc." We've been through this nest above door thing before. One year we couldn't even go out our back door the entire summer without getting attacked, because there were baby birds up above the porch light.

I got online and started doing research about birds and nests, etc. I've loved watching the birds for years, but really hadn't read a lot about their habits. So anyhow, it seems in most species, Papa bird builds several nests and Mama chooses the one that meets with her approval. For some reasons, she chose this one. Does not seem like a wise choice, since it is only about 6 feet off the ground, but what do I know. So I thought about it for a day or two..maybe she could just choose another nest. Then around Memorial Day, Hub comes in and says, OOPS...too late. There was an egg in the nest. The next day there were two, then there were three. The 3rd one looks a bit deformed, I told Hub that it's probably from "stress" on Mama.

So now we have a family in a high traffic area that will soon be attacking us or anyone who comes to the front door. The UPS guy and the FEDEX gal have already gotten a talking to by Mama Bird, and the eggs haven't hatched. She gets interrupted a lot, flys off to watch from a nearby tree, then comes right back.

I watched through the window and the screen for several days, but decided I wanted a better view, so I removed the screen, washed the window and now I have taken most of the photos from inside the house. I had to fix a small area so she wouldn't see my reflection or the camera. Hubby and I check out the peep-hole every night before we go to bed, and every morning. Can't sit on the front porch for now, but enjoying watching thru the window. We can go in and out through the garage and she stays put but sometimes the car door slamming will scare her off.

I'm wondering if we should wheel the entire pot down to the end of the porch. She'd have more privacy and maybe the comings and goings wouldn't scare her off so much. I'd love to see the baby birds and watch while they fly, but I don't want to get pecked on the head in order to do it.

For now, here is the story in photos. They are clickable to enlarge.

Vine by the front door.