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Health & Fitness

Nesting Time

This is an active time of year for birds.  You may not have noticed, but hidden in among all the beautiful trees and shrubs, birds have set up temporary housekeeping.  Nests abound.  

Walking around my property, I noticed Northern Cardinals are nesting in the Chinese Dogwood for the first time.  They contrast exquisitely against the white blossoms.

The Mourning Doves have returned to the Blue Spruce.  This year, they have built their nest higher in the tree.  It's also hidden a little better.  Hopefully there will be greater success with their brood.  Last year, a Blue Jay stole the eggs.

Mr. House Wren has been busy setting up families in four of my bird houses.  He constantly runs around assisting his wives feed all the babies...a totally devoted father!

The American Robins are somewhere in either the Silver Maple or Elm next to it.  I can't see the nest, but the fledglings are starting to land in the lawn. They are adorable balls of feathers.

Baby Chickadees are beginning to visit the birdbath with their parents. They were also raised in one of the bird houses.

Past years have brought the exquisite Northern Orioles to the Silver Maple hanging over the driveway.  

If you've never seen an oriole nest, it is a true achievement of architectural engineering.  It hangs as a sack, perfectly balanced at the edge of some branches.  Watching the construction over a period of days one can see how the oriole cleverly weaves twigs, straw, and other nesting materials into the perfect cradle for its babies.

Unfortunately, danger always lurks.  The local Blue Jay loves to snatch the babies out of the nest for its next meal...a horrifying scenario.

My next door neighbor, the Carolina Wren, is singing his dominance over the area with his beautiful trills.  He has come back to his nest every year for more than a decade, and is a joy to hear.

Till next time....




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