Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Bird Nest




The other day I was searching for my injured chicken, Phyllis. I found this bird nest on the side of the driveway right at eye level. How had I missed it before? I went to look at it closely. The sides were intertwined with a blue material that I first thought were pieces of blue plastic. Closer inspection revealed the nest is partially made from lint; lots of blue lint. I don't think it's my blue lint. I dry my clothes on the line. From what little clothes I dry in the dryer, I keep the lint to use as kindling for fires. What kind of bird nest is this? It's too big for a hummingbird. I think it's too small for a blue jay or crow. I know it's not an oriole nest because I've seen those before and they are whiter and tear drop shaped. It's not a woodpecker nest because they use tree cavities. Maybe it's a chickadee, indigo bunting or goldfinch nest. I'm not really sure. In my birding classes students have asked the teachers about nest identification and we're always told it's too hard to tell the nests apart. I see purplish buds on the tree branch. I guess the warm November weather is confusing this tree.

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