A Three-Nest Day

“There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.”

Robert Lynd

Early spring has sprung!  Freezing morning temperatures slowly warm, rising and doubling to sixty degrees.  Mother Nature invites us to step outside!  Eager to reveal her fresh transformation, she prepares a lovely show of buds, nodes, flowers and everything “50 shades of green.” This brilliant display inspires me to tidy the landscape around my home.  I gather my garden gloves, clippers and rake and head out the door.

A flurry of activity awaits me! Birds are singing, swooping from branch to branch as they compete for seed at the feeder.  Woodpeckers, blue birds, cardinals and wrens take turns swinging on the hanging suet cage.  Bunnies scamper across the front lawn with their distinctive arcing hippity-hop.  Squirrels appear unhinged as they run, jump, flip and chase one another all around the property. 

Nesting season is here!  A time for building homes to hold eggs and young ones. Twigs, grass, leaves, fur, feathers, and man-made items can all be used as materials. Yet, the nests blend seamlessly into the environment.  The instinct for protection and safety of the family drives the busy construction and design plan.   

After crossing to the natural area, I look up and see the first nest.  It is one third up the tall poplar tree.  It is large, able to house a communal nest of birds or a hawk.   Various sized twigs create the frame which holds a generous amount of pine straw.  Resembling a large bowl, it hangs securely on the side of the tree trunk. Trimming the dead foliage will have to wait.

Near the edge of the woods, I spot a pile of branches and large sticks to be cleared. Looking closer, I see the second nest/burrow.  I might have missed it if not for the sun shining on the front entrance. A dome-shaped roof is supported by fallen limbs.  I would guess this is the home of squirrels.  The path leading to the door is matted down from use.

Walking down the driveway, I notice the juniper bushes covered in pine straw.  This area needs pruning to clear the spread of growth over the asphalt.  As I study what needs to be done, I see the third nest.  In the middle of a solid row of junipers is a passageway leading into what looks like a tunnel.  Bunnies lived here last year and it appears they have returned this season. 

I gather my garden gloves, clippers and rake and place them back where I found them earlier. My spring- cleaning efforts will be better spent filling seed and suet feeders and providing water, all the while appreciating the beauty and wonder of the season. I feel a sense of gratitude for being a part of this village. We all co-exist together.