Saturday, June 8, 2013

The Cardinal is safe...

photo from kitchen window 2010

This little beauty lives with his wife in our trees... .


He and his lady were really busy for a week or two, sitting on the window sill of the kitchen, then the bedroom, flying in and out of the bush and I thought nothing of it... just watched with pleasure from bedroom or kitchen window.



The flowers make it perfect for camouflage... BUT they built there new home right where you see the arrow.
NOTE: this is Jake Territory... as in he could stand on his hind legs and grab baby birds with no trouble at all.


for a couple of days she sat in the nest and I was fretting big time, afraid she would hatch noisy babies that would become dinner for Jake.....one day after I stared at her many times, she flew away, and I checked the nest.
IT"S EMPTY  I shouted to Bob.... and I removed it from harms way....


Check out the DETAIL... so much work, so delicate and I felt horrible moving it. But I would have felt worse if the unthinkable happened.


They thought they were hidden, but had no idea they were to close to the ground. anything could get to them, and we do have black snakes.


Each piece places carefully, just where it needed to be and the thinnest of pine needles to make the center.




30 comments:

Inger said...

I know how you feel, she put in so much hard work in that nest. Still it's better than having baby birds get killed. Something happened to the nest outside my window here. A larger bird torpedoed it, I think. The small house finches that built it are now gone. I don't know if their babies had been born and were killed.

photowannabe said...

I think you did the right thing.
Poor Mama, if she returns, but poor Mama if she laid eggs and they became someone else's dinner.

Unknown said...

It's amazing how well they build their nests.
Beautiful flowers on that bush.

Anonymous said...

Yes, you did the right thing. It is truly amazing to see the intricacy of that nest.

Chatty Crone said...

It just amazes me what they can do - and no one taught them. And to do it just perfectly. That makes me think how amazing God is. You know what I mean? Love, sandie

Susannah said...

I would have done what you did. You had no choice. Would have been fun to see the babies and watch them growing up but it would have been terrible to watch jake do the unthinkable, too. Nature is nature.....you did right!!

Anonymous said...

Your blog is beautiful and the pictures wow and the Cardnial bird is so pretty.

You did right.

TexWisGirl said...

poor sweeties. hope they can build another nest quick before she has to lay her eggs!

crafty cat corner said...

How wonderful is nature, all done with beaks, I bet we couldn't make it so well with 10 fingers.

Briony
x

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Glad Mama Cardinal changed her mind and decided not to have her babies there... She was listening to YOU... Good for you--good for her...

My dog (Duchess) caught a Mourning Dove once... SO--dogs can catch birds... She didn't try to eat it --but she brought 'her' gift to the house for me. YIPES... We buried the poor thing.

Hugs,
Betsy

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Your photos are absolutely amazing and gorgeous! Love the details of the next and I'm glad you saved them from obvious danger.

S. Etole said...

They do such intricate work. Glad they will be safe.

Marie said...

so glad they're safe. :) maybe you could put it higher in the tree, I'm not sure.
I love our cardinals.:)

My Mind's Eye said...

WOW that is one intricately engineered nest. Too bad they don't build human houses too.
Hugs Madi your BFFF

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

How long do you think she can hold eggs inside her till they make a new nest? God sure gave them alot of talent to construct a nest like that. Too bad you could not just place the nest higher.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

I am thinking that Cardinals are not so smart. Yours did this.

Here, earlier in the spring, a lady Cardinal was obviously building a nest in a low kind of a bush, down behind where the pool works are. I fretted and fretted, watching her. Thinking it was not high enough off the ground.

But they seem to have had their babies and have gone on their merry way. Hopefully to build their 3nd nest, up higher some where!!!!!!!!


Ginny Hartzler said...

Wow, will you put it somewhere else or throw it away? The house finches do the same here, build too close to where the cats could get them. The birds here use everything and anything to make their nests, they do not have all the jungle stuff you do. I have seen a nest with lunch bags woven in.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Tough decision to move it, but I would have too. In such a dangerous place, the babies would surely have been eaten.

Miss Debbie said...

Amazing architects aren't they? I think you were wise to remove it. Hopefully THEY will be wiser in their next choice for a home!

George said...

The nest is amazingly intricate.

SquirrelQueen said...

It always amazes me at the amount of work that goes into the building of some birds nests, this one is a work of art. Yes, you did the right thing.

Linda P said...

I imagine the bird will be confused but you did the best you could to save her from laying her eggs in an unsuitable place. A wonderful nest, though. Birds are so industrious when nest building.

Amy Burzese said...

Nests are amazing, aren't they. I'm glad to see that you fared well in the storm.

Ann said...

it is amazing how they build them. That one looks really small.

Just Mags said...

That first picture is gorgeous!!! I love it! I think you did what was best moving the nest. Those are all great pictures of a very well-made nest. Hugs

Catherine said...

Love the red of your bird and plants!
xo Catherine

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Although the mama cardinal may not realize it, you certainly did her future family a great service by removing the nest before she started one.

Dee said...

They picked a pretty color coordinated place to build their nest I am glad you removed it for their safety but I am afraid they are going to become really angry birds and get even with you with a lot of bird dropping on you. The bird nest construction has always amazed me.

LC said...

Cardinals in our area also seem to lack nest-security savvy.

Betty Manousos said...

beautiful blooms! loved seeing those nests. amazing hoe they build them! isn't it?

yes, you did the right thing.