bad place for a bird nest

16 years ago

Sunday, while I was out in the backyard I happened to notice a pair of tufted titmouse carrying nesting materials in their beeks and landing on the gutters. Curious about where they were building their nest I stopped what I was doing to watch them. To my dismay one of them hopped down into the gutter and went back into the area that is overlapped by the back porch roof. I guess the birds thought it was a perfect spot for their nest but all I could imagine was the babies drowning during the next hard rain since water tends to pool in that end of the gutter.

I waited for the birds to leave to gather more materials and then got my ladder out to remove the nest before they could get back. The nest was back about a foot from the edge of the porch roof and there was a gutter support right in front of the opening so I scrapped my arm up pretty good before I was done. I dropped all the nesting material on the ground so that the birds could reuse it. It's amazing what kind of stuff the nest was built from. There were chicken feathers, dried grass, horse hair, and nearly an entire snake skin from a yellow rat snake.

I really hope that by me messing with the nest the birds will find a new place to raise their chicks, like maybe the nice acorn shaped birdhouse I hung in my oak tree! lol

Here's the snake skin I found in the nest.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

suegrew
16 years ago
Amazing how our little feathered friends are not so "bird-brained" after all.
Shedded snake skin? That's a new one. Pretty clever.
I read somewhere that if you dispose of your dryer lint by simply throwing it outside, the birds will incorporate that into their nests. Nice and cozy for their little ones.
Thanks for sharing,
Sue.
goldenpond
16 years ago
I grow cotton and leave the fluff for the birds.
Snakeskin,,,,now I know where it goes. I left it on some hedges to scare away solicitors and it always disappeared. Coming to a nest near you.LOL
Related Discussions
Trouble with Birds Nest Fern
Q
Comments (1)
I haven't seen that problem before but was wondering whether it might be from something in tap water. Rainwater is best. They're an epiphyte (and lithophyte) from rainforests, mostly growing on trees with no soil and roots exposed to the air.
...See More
Bird's Nest Spruce Bonsai Shedding Needles
Q
Comments (7)
Yikes! Thanks Josh! Like I said, this is my first evergreen/spruce and I didn't realize repotting at this time was a bad idea! I have it in an East facing window that gets morning sun, would this suffice? I live in a 4-family apartment and worry about setting it outside as it may get knocked over or what not Also, I am still curious about the brown/black bumps on the branches...are those normal(cones/buds), or something to worry about(galls)? Thank you!
...See More
House Finch nest in bad place for chicks
Q
Comments (5)
The only thing I can think of is to enclose it in chicken wire, I'm sure the finches could get through but not cats or squirrels or even Jays &Crows. I know not very pretty but you of all people could live with for a couple weeks! Wonder if Mom would accept it?
...See More
80 mph winds damaged nest box, nest & eggs - birds okay
Q
Comments (3)
Awwww..so sorry to hear of this. That storm came through my yard too, and took one of my Bradford Pears down. It landed across my driveway, and luckily did not hit the house or our basketball goal. Gosh, it came through really fast. If you are not seeing them back at the house at all, then they have abandoned the nest. You don't need to wait the 2 weeks to remove the nest. Give it a few days, and when you are sure that they have abandoned, go ahead and remove the nest. Maybe they will build there again. There is still plenty of time.~~Angie
...See More
manature
16 years ago
Snakeskin is a favorite material for many nesting birds. I don't know whether it is because it is pliable and easily manipulated into the fabric of the nest, or whether it is supposed to deter predators, or what. But they definitely like it. You can hang one of those wire mesh suet cake holders outside and fill it with dryer fluff and short bits of string, and the birds will happily steal it all away for home building.

Another of the many interesting things we gardeners get to see on a regular basis. Hope the titmice relocate, Kara.

Marcia
tony_k_orlando
16 years ago
Speaking of birds nests etc, look at thee and the mess they make. We are in Paducah KY and this pic is taken on the river side of the hotel. The hotel sits right against the OHIO river where these birds got the material from to make these nests.
{{gwi:833919}}
{{gwi:833921}}

{{gwi:833923}}
suegrew
16 years ago
Thanks goldenpond for the snake idea. Next time I find a shedded snake skin, I'll position it close to my front door along with one of my son's rubber snakes to ward off solicitors. Jeez, on a regular weekend the doorbell's always ringing. (Even early morning hours) How annoying!
Thanks for the tip!
Sue.
early_bird_2007
16 years ago
I just found a Mockingbird nest on my wooden fence, a few feet from house wall. One bird is always in the nest, I guess they have eggs there. It's hidden partially by Allamanda. Now I am worried about cats. We have several cats in our neighbourhood, they climb over my fence, I saw it.
beth7happy
16 years ago
wow, Tony...what a MESS !!! ewwww. But, hey...did ya see that artwork down by the river...!!!?????? By the way, if you're driving, Tony, and want to see some very neat bit of nature..get to US 641 and then go South on 453. An area there that is called The Land Between the Lakes offers a beautiful drive...complete with a bison and elk preserve. It was the best 'wrong turn' we have ever taken in our travels! ...worth the extra time. There's supposed to be some excellent restaurant in that area, but we never did find it...we did love that drive down through Golden Pond, tho...... Hope you're having a grand time! I'm sure Mary Beth is just beside herself there in Paduca!
cindeea
16 years ago
Last year I could see the end of a snake skin in a mockingbird nest in our Maple Tree. i made Dennis get the ladder and hold on so I could make sure there wasn't a snake in the nest. The skin was all woven through the nest (It was huge, from my big black snake I am guessing) and there were 4 eggs in the nest, so I figured they put it there on purpose. I leave string and stuff on my wall and potting bench for the nesting birds to help myself. Here's my current nester in the front Shady Lady. I make sure she has plenty of seeds and water and she lets me get close to her, she is so pretty with her blue eyeliner!
{{gwi:833925}}

Tony, was Paduka ready for the likes of you??? ha ha
PRO
Jan Sword-Rossman Realty 239-470-6061
16 years ago
It's been at least 2 weeks since she sat on the eggs but no babies yet.
KaraLynn
Original Author
16 years ago
I love the pictures of the nesting birds! The good news is that it looks like the titmice have moved their nest site elsewhere.
natives_and_veggies
16 years ago
Early bird,

Generally, I wouldn't worry about mockingbirds and housecats. Most mockingbirds will win that fight. They're pretty fearsome fighters and my cats stay well away. They will also guard the fledgelings until they're flying reliably. (The cats have bells now, but not because they caught any mockingbirds. One brought in a sparrow, and that was the end of his silent hunting days.)