See this little bird with its beak stuffed full of . . . something?
There’s a pair nesting in the barberry bush right beside our deck. I mean, the bush grows over onto one of the chairs, for heaven’s sake. We sit there all the time, have lunch, relax with the dogs. We’ve been very careful not to disturb them, but they seem unperturbed by our comings and goings. When someone is sitting in the chair the birds will go in the “back door” through the maple tree and into the barberry bush. When I took these photos I was watering the flower bed. The bird stopped to check me out, make sure I wasn’t a threat, and when satisfied hopped into the nest to feed two baby birds. She (he?) is surprisingly well camouflaged in the barberry. I wouldn’t have thought.
The nest is too well hidden for me to photograph it, and I wouldn’t want to intrude, anyway. I have peeked in there several times. They see me, but don’t seem to mind. I talk to them sometimes and they listen. Two years in a row they built their nest in an evergreen bush out front, and both years the babies fell out of the nest before they were ready to fly. Mom and dad were very distressed. I couldn’t find the nest to be able to put them back in, and I don’t know if the family would have accepted that. I’m certain the babies perished. I can’t tell you how much that upset me. I think this is more safe on the south side, protected from the wind and the rain as it’s tucked under the eaves next to the house.
Keep your fingers crossed for these sweet, innocent creatures that their family thrives and grows up to build nests of their own someday. They’re such a pleasant and welcome part of the garden.
