Options
Nesting Eastern Phoebe (long)
My wife and I had decided that we would strip and sand our cabin this year during vacation. When we started our prep work we found that a bird had nested on one of our downspouts, #$%t. We couldn't bear to just destroy the nest but at the same time we were sure if we moved it the nestlings were doomed. We decided to try to move the entire downspout to the barn about 100 yards away. I carefully removed the downspout (which was riveted instead of screwed, of course) and moved it about 6 feet away to see if the parents would find it. Even though they could see it they continued to return to it's previous location. We tried this several times and finally leaned it back up against the chiminey inches from it's original location. The parents then resumed feeding.
1.
That night we had a pretty good thunder storm and thought for sure the wind had taken down the unsecured downspout. In the morning we found the downspout where we had left it but were terrified to find we had placed the nest directly below the the now open gutter drain. Surely they drowned. I got out the ladder and was suprised to find they had made it through the storm.
2.
We finally decided to seperated the S-bend that the nest was built on and attach to a shorter piece of downspout secured to an old step ladder. We could move the step ladder slowly away from the original location to the relative protection of some pine trees 20ft away. It took a few hours, we would only move it farther once the parents had resumed feeding at the new spot, I'm sure they were not very happy with us.
3.
I wish I had thought to document the entire process but we were more focused on the cabin and getting past this distraction. But by now we were getting more than a little attached them so I set up the tripod at a window with a good vantage point.
4.
For the next week I was rewarded with ample photo ops of our new friends.
5.
6.
7.
When our week was up we went back to work but could not help but wonder if the birds would be there when we returned. While gone I was able to identify them as Eatern Phoebes and learned that they fledge in 14-17 days. If the chicks were only a day or so old when we moved them they might fledge the next weekend while we're there. When we returned they were still there and boy had they grown!
8.
The showed off their wings some on Saturday but the action didn't start till Sunday. When they started getting adventurous.
9.
Mom was constantly flying back and forth to a nearby branch calling the entire time. We missed the first one leaving while we were staining, but we caught the second one.
10.
The two sat nearby while Mom worked on the last.
11.
The last one was very reluctant and didn't leave for a few hours after the others. Mom fed and coached the whole time until finally the last one got up the courage to go.
12.
The end.
13.
I hope you enjoyed this little family as much as we did. We were quite pleased that we were able to help them along especially considering the altrnative. My wife asked that I make a deep picture frame foro teh nest and some of the photos to go in the cabin. I'll post pics when I finalyl get some shop time.
Thanks for looking,
Steve
1.
That night we had a pretty good thunder storm and thought for sure the wind had taken down the unsecured downspout. In the morning we found the downspout where we had left it but were terrified to find we had placed the nest directly below the the now open gutter drain. Surely they drowned. I got out the ladder and was suprised to find they had made it through the storm.
2.
We finally decided to seperated the S-bend that the nest was built on and attach to a shorter piece of downspout secured to an old step ladder. We could move the step ladder slowly away from the original location to the relative protection of some pine trees 20ft away. It took a few hours, we would only move it farther once the parents had resumed feeding at the new spot, I'm sure they were not very happy with us.
3.
I wish I had thought to document the entire process but we were more focused on the cabin and getting past this distraction. But by now we were getting more than a little attached them so I set up the tripod at a window with a good vantage point.
4.
For the next week I was rewarded with ample photo ops of our new friends.
5.
6.
7.
When our week was up we went back to work but could not help but wonder if the birds would be there when we returned. While gone I was able to identify them as Eatern Phoebes and learned that they fledge in 14-17 days. If the chicks were only a day or so old when we moved them they might fledge the next weekend while we're there. When we returned they were still there and boy had they grown!
8.
The showed off their wings some on Saturday but the action didn't start till Sunday. When they started getting adventurous.
9.
Mom was constantly flying back and forth to a nearby branch calling the entire time. We missed the first one leaving while we were staining, but we caught the second one.
10.
The two sat nearby while Mom worked on the last.
11.
The last one was very reluctant and didn't leave for a few hours after the others. Mom fed and coached the whole time until finally the last one got up the courage to go.
12.
The end.
13.
I hope you enjoyed this little family as much as we did. We were quite pleased that we were able to help them along especially considering the altrnative. My wife asked that I make a deep picture frame foro teh nest and some of the photos to go in the cabin. I'll post pics when I finalyl get some shop time.
Thanks for looking,
Steve
0
Comments
So glad that the rescue had a happy ending. Thanks so much for sharing!
Smugmug: http://photosbykathie.com
Blog: http://www.dandenong-ranges-photography.com.au/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KathiesPhotos
Interesting how my thoughts started out something like "I hope we can save them." and have turned to I wish we hadn't had to disturb them. If we "saved" them it was only ourselves that we saved them from. Maybe two weeks of sniffing log cabin stain has turned me sappy.
Anyway, we were indeed very fortunate to witness their raising. Next year we'll all be wondering when we spy another nest if that bird is one of the one's we got to watch.
Steve
As I look around there are remanants of similiar nests on many of the protected ledges around the yard, several gutters and the tops of the posts that support the deck of my porch. I think the chances are good we'll some action next year. But I agree that we were very lucky that we could see this start to finish.
Steve