So that's where my spaghnum moss went!

9 years ago

Aaaarrrrrgggg! There's a bird's nest in one of our motorcycle saddle bags! We got so busy the past couple of weeks that we have hardly had a chance to ride. And here I opened it up and found a wren's nest. I was going to pull it out and toss it before any eggs could be laid and fuss at those silly birds, but ... there are already three little chicks in there, freshly hatched!

Sniff. I want to ride but we aren't going to hurt the baby birds. We are discussing taking the saddle bag off and hanging it close by to see if the parent birds will still come feed them. I could stand to ride without saddlebags for a few weeks if I have to.

I guess I know now where that sphagnum moss kept going that the wrens were stealing from my orchid mounts! I recovered most of it in an earlier nesting attempt but those birds out foxed me.

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Comments (5)

John Donovan
9 years ago
This is almost a episode of family guy. Depending on the bird species they may abandon them if you move the nest.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Carolina Wrens and no, they didn't abandon the babies. They are moved and doing great. Bright eyes, feathering out. Very cute. I'd already ridden my motorcycle once before I realized they were in there! So I moved the bike closer to the deck with the jasmine vines for a couple of days before I slipped the saddle bags off and hung them in the vines. Almost at once we observed the mother and father coming and going without issue. At no point did I touch the nest itself or the babies.
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Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
Original Author
9 years ago
All four of the baby Wrens have left the nest and are hopping around our back deck flitting about with their momma and daddy. Adorable. Their tails are so short and haven't lengthened yet. ;)
Nicki B
9 years ago
Glad they're doing OK! A few years back we were about to trim a double leader off our spruce tree and saw a nest of purple finches. Stopped immediately. The birds need all the help they can get, and we can wait to prune. Nice pictures!
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
Original Author
9 years ago
Yes, with cats eating them up in this state like crazy, our small native birds do need the extra consideration. I was trying to decide if I would bother to bleach out the saddlebags and put them back on my bike now the babies are out, or replace them since they are pretty old and ratty now. I went to take a peek and the wrens already tore out the nest and seem to be rebuilding a new one for a second round! So I'm leaving it for them to keep using however long they will this season.