I am not sure who is responsible, or why, but the other day I found the fragments of a bird's nest scattered below the site where it was neatly placed. The little coils of hay, feathers, string and wool dragged out and left shredded on the ground and blowing away in the wind. Then yesterday I discovered the same thing at an Ash tree in the lane. It has long low branches sporting scars and carbuncles from growth broken away by passing tractors and farm machinery, and these hollows have been occupied over successive years by nesting Blue-tits.
I noticed first a disturbance at the base of the trunk, wads of moss and sheep's wool. When I looked closer I found two felty little bowls, encased by moss. What exquisite roundels. I think they are Finch nests - perhaps Goldfinch. I looked for where they might have come from, and searched for broken eggs, or little hatchlings, but found none.
So I am puzzled, was it the high winds recently, or birds spring cleaning (the nests looked newish to me), or a predator?
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how lovely and cosy these look. Could they have been pulled out by crows? They sit on our beech hedge and plunge their beaks down into the sparrow nests.
ReplyDeletehow beautiful they are. definitely keepers. I have no clue though as to why they were on the ground.
ReplyDeleteThe nests were very cosy, immediately warming in my hands, like the softest mittens. I fear you may be right about the crows, I have seen them flying low lately - hopefully the smaller birds will start again with another brood.
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