These pretty little Redstarts are common in the garden. The male, on the right, is easily recognised by his rusty red rump, and jet black throat.
Nowadays we know not to do such things. We look, admire, take photos perhaps; but we never touch the eggs.
The nest above was simply built in the wrong place, and although I intended no harm to the birds, they were obviously very wary of my constant presence (plastering); and left.
It's a Redstart's nest, and I feel responsible for depriving the area of five more birds, even though the decision to abandon was not exactly mine.
I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the Redstart community. I really am your friend; I meant no harm. Please return next year and I promise to leave you in peace!
Hello:
ReplyDeleteThis is really very sad but, of course, does happen in Nature and there is little one can do.
They can be feisty little birds. We get attacked everytime we go in the barn at the moment. And I've seen them dive bomb innocent little rabbits minding their own business who dare to sit under their nests. I expect they're plotting their revenge on you Cro as I speak.
ReplyDeletei know you feel bad but really, they are the ones with the poor nesting site choice. The robin nest on our deck light ended up being abandoned. Not sure what happened there cause we were seldom out there due to bad weather.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame when birds build in an appropriate place, but there isn't much we can do about it. There was a nest on top of our air conditioner, and I kept checking on it, but unfortunately, it was much too accessible to other critters.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you do to scare them away? Sounds like you were just going about your normal business, and they build in the wrong spot. However, if you find their new nesting place and staring bugging them there, I'll totally call the authorities (said in serious tone with prim-looking glasses lowered halfway, and unplugged phone receiver clutched in palm. Scary music, aka Hitchcock, plays in the background while lighting flashes outside).
ReplyDeleteCro, as children, we used to collect birds eggs too - wasn't it awful! I can remember winning a competition at the local fete when I was about nine for picking the greatest number of different species of wild flowers. Isn't life different now!
ReplyDeleteI accidentally shut a mother bird out of the screened porch last year and found the abandoned eggs in the nest weeks later. I felt so bad.
ReplyDeleteI admit that I've not once stolen an egg from a bird's nest, but as a child, I used to give tours of nests in the woods behind our house. I think I've used up the Bird's Nest Poem Quotient for one lifetime. Alas.
ReplyDeletewe've got a pair in our post box..
ReplyDeletegiving them a wide berth .... :-)
oops.. almost forgot the good news : 5 chicks
ReplyDelete... :-)
That's wonderful.... it makes up for my nastiness.
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