Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Monday, June 14, 2010

Crazy Birds Makin' Me Crazy


This decoration was suppose to be taken down a long time ago. It's from Christmas. Can you believe it?  Recently it was acquisitioned by a bird. Every time we walk out the front door a small sparrow-sized bird bolts from this tin mail box. At Christmas I filled it with fake greenery, some Heavenly Bamboo berries and a garden plaque. I have been meaning to change the whole thing out...hang a basket there and fill it with some "summer" type dried flowers. But I just haven't . Now, it's too late.


Someone has taken up temporary residence and why they chose this place is beyond me. Every time we go in and out of the front door mama House Finch feels that she has to leave. We go in and out of this door at least a gazillion times a day and no matter how quiet we are about it we scare her off.
A few nights ago when I let the dogs out for the last time, after dark, she flew around the porch frantically and almost few in through the door into the house. She landed on the top edge of the open screen door and wouldn't move. I had to touch her feet to make her fly somewhere else, so I could close the screen door.
This happens every year. We have a pair of Linnets (that's what my mom use to call these house finches) that build a nest under the eaves and use it twice a year. They are on their second batch of eggs right now. But, their nest is across the porch and quite a distance from the front door. Instinct did not enlightened this new couple who built their nest in the mail tin. They were just not thinking about how close they were to the front door.
I feel awful every time we go out the door. We have no other way to access the garden and lawn area without going out the back door through the garage, out into the driveway area and back in through the front fence or around the back of the house. And, our sliding door doesn't have anything but a very high mini deck that was suppose to be temporary, to satisfy the county code enforcers,  until we had the money for a REAL deck.... ,which NEVER happens because we keep spending money on other things like BEAUTIFUL OLD CARS. So, the front door is the only way to get to the front of the house without breaking our necks or trekking around the property. Can't do that with two Corgis in tow... in the dark.


It's seems that our porch is prime real estate for these birds... and now there is another egg in the nest since the other night. Good grief! Now they are going to all hatch into five more crazy little finches that will probably choose to build a nest and live on our porch. There will be generation after generations of these birds flocking here and building homes. When will it all end...

Update... Last night I tried not turning the porch light on when I let the dogs out. Momma Linnet few away when we stepped out onto the porch but she didn't fly around frantically in a panic. She flew over to the Mock Orange and waited until we went back into the house and then she flew back to her nest. This will have to do until she hatches those babies. Maybe the light was just too much for her. It seems better this way. 
We have a light on the side of the  garage that shines on the entrance so I do have enough  light to see what the dogs are doing. It's a temporary inconvenience until the babies leave the nest.
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14 comments:

  1. Crazy birds! We have a robin that comes back every year and for some strange reason gets down into one of the basement window wells and flutters and claws and pecks to get into the window! She spends hours at a time trying to get into that window. I don't understand why since it's in the basement where it's darker. Last summer I finally put a piece of cardboard in the window and she quit, but last week I saw a Robin sitting down in that window again, staring in at us.

    That last photo you took of the eggs is a really great picture!

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  2. Oh you are so kind to aim to not disturb this bird family and the five eggs. I would do the same thing, and you had a good idea to not turn on the porch light. Imagine being a wild bird and facing many dangers; they are pleased to find this spot for their nest. And their nest is in a house beautiful setting.

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  3. We had the same thing happen in our house in Dallas, my dog would go nuts when she saw the mom and dad bird flew to the nest with things through the large rectangular windows- she ran smack into the window once and fell over, we died laughing, well we fell on the ground with her!

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  4. My parents have a wren that makes a nest every year on their porch. This year she found a motor cycle helmet on a shelf, and her nest is in it. Too funny, when you walk by, you can see her little head peeking out at you. I suppose she figures if she doesn't move you won't see her. Dad wishes she wouldn't make her nest these, as all the grandkids run by frequently to get in and out of the pool. Maybe she actually feels safe there. The dogs don't even notice her. Strange.
    ~Randy

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  5. You should add this post to Angela's Show & Tail this evening - the pictures are great!!! You are so lucky to have these visitors for a short while - it's kind of like being a caretaker till the babies are big enough to leave the nest. And you get to see the progress!!! I just posted about a beautiful silk moth - stop by and see!

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  6. Awww.... I know it's an inconvenience, but still.... awww!
    Now when those babies finally leave the nest, make sure you change things so mama birds aren't enticed into building more nests!
    It will be cool to see the progress though! :)

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  7. Animals can tell when they've found a kind person! They trust you. What a neat thing.

    I love the nest & eggs pictures!

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  8. Great pictures of your nesting visitor. Hope all the eggs hatch and then you can change your arrangement on your door. Have a blessed day. Madeline

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  9. Funny you would write about this since I will be writing about a similar situation near our barn...I don't blame the little birds at your house, that porch and tin thing look pretty darn cozy to me too! Your last photo would make an amazing card photo...maybe for someone expecting? Or a new house? Simply LOVELY! '4Bushelfarmgirl' is right...they know a good thing when they find it.

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  10. how cool i cant wait to see them when they hatch you will take pictures right??? PLEASE... Ear scratches to my favorite for pawed friends!

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  11. I enjoyed so much your bird story today. All the photos are great. I have award for you on my blog today.

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  12. Oh my gosh, isn't that the sweetest thing. Those little eggs are beautiful! I love the extra care you are giving to try to not disturb her. Great pictures.
    (BEAUTIFUL OLD CARS - LOL, indeed! They will take up every last cent!) :-)

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  13. Another Corgi! A lot has happened since I last visited. My Youngest daughter is pointing at the pic of your new pup saying "I want that one!"

    I would love to have a birds eye view of some birds but we don't have the porch for it. As long as the babies grow up strong and take flight I wouldn't worry too much about the disturbance you and momma bird are causing each other. ;)

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  14. In our previous house we had a little dove that nested by our front door on top of the pillar, year after year, same story, every time we went in or out off she flew!
    I love the tiny eggs so sweet! My SIL in Aus. had a tiny WIlly Wagtail that nested inches from the kitchen window, every year what a treat to watch the progress of nature.

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