Swallows stick it to house wrens
I was surprised to find that a pair of tree swallows built their nest on top of a house wren’s stick nest that was not completed yet. I was worried that the wrens would pierce the swallow eggs and take over again, but no, the swallows were able to complete the nestling and fledged 3
We are on Mt Desert Island Maine
Under our porch now
Robin nest 2024
We came back from a vacation to find a robin nest on our ladder! She is four gorgeous eggs as you can see in the first photo!
Bluebird home goes Carolina wren style
Opened this box to find a nest of an eastern bluebird located in deep woods that first appears to look like a Carolina wren nest to me.
Nest on front door wreath
Tree swallow straw nest
Strange that the tree swallow used these straw like materials instead of the grasses nearby like the other swallows used.
Nest in a fancy wreath
I think this is a House finch that built a nest in the Christmas wreath since we were away for 4 months and we live in a very quite neighborhood with a forest in our backyard.
Shot Blocker
I had to tell my son he couldn’t practice basketball in the driveway because there was a robin nesting on the back of the board, and at first he thought I was joking. I recently told my kids to watch out for mourning doves nesting in the trellis over the back gate entry we use multiple times a day. They only watch us wide eyed as we come and go, but the robins have a tendency to dive-bomb us when we walk by their nests. I now park under the net every day, just so he doesn’t absentmindedly throw a ball up as he passes by on his way home from school and accidentally scare the birds away. They have nested in the outdoor fan by our back door, and in the light next to our front door, which they quickly abandoned a week ago because of the activity on the front porch. Its become common practice in the early spring to walk out with our arm up shielding our heads from robin attacks the last couple of springs… always makes me laugh!
Staghorn leaf eggs
4 eggs in a nest. Would like to know what type of bird laid these eggs.
Possibly an Oriole Nest ?
Lots of Orioles feeding and visiting last year after leave fall saw an interesting nest – thought initially a wasp or insect nest but closer view suggests a bird possibly Oriole??
Red-tailed hawk nest with two nestlings
In southern Maryland while conducting a breeding bird atlas, I discovered a red-tailed hawk nest in a pine tree with two nestlings. It was like a storybook scene.
Poultry feeders provide nest platforms for Carolina Wrens
In southern Maryland there are a lot of poultry houses that are no longer in use. I obtained permission to conduct a survey of birds on a property with an empty poultry house. When I entered, I saw a Carolina Wren make a quick exit. I explored the area and found a nest in one of the poultry feeders. There were several feeders with similar nests.
Can anyone identify this nest?
Just appeared a couple of days ago in the corner outside my garage door. I haven’t seen any activity around it. Not sure if I should leave it there or try to remove it.
Bluebird wins
A bluebird gained control over a tree swallow nest and laid eggs, and here’s the nestlings at 7 days old.
Eagle Nest
Eagle nest located on Hawkins Road in Ferrisburgh VT. 7-3-23
Unknown Colorado bird nest.
Bird nest built under the eave of my shed. Small size bird. Gray in color.
Robins in North Alabama
Robin babies nesting on front porch light, right beside busy front door!
Fuzzy Nest
Eastern Phoebe nest. The nest is on top of a column at the entrance to our home.
Hanging flower basket nest
Found this nest in a hanging flower basket on my deck. Can’t believe how many eggs are in this little nest and two different kinds.
Lucky 7
At the Army Corps of Engineers Berlin Lake, a parking lot where I placed nest-boxes revealed a eastern bluebird nest that had 7 eggs in it. Parents were above on telephone wires.
Screech Owl
I went to provide maintenance to my wood duck nestbox, D2 and found an eastern screech owl. Not sure if she will nest, but I wish her the best. I wonder if I should install a hole reducer to protect them from larger birds and/or squirrels.
House Sparrow Nest
House Sparrow nest in the library
Baltimore Oriole feeds nestlings in nest
Wandering down the street near my brother’s weekend house in Lancaster, PA, I found this beautiful Baltimore Oriole’s nest and the adults feeding the nestlings. This is the first Oriole I have ever encountered and I was stunned by how beautiful it is.
Great egret
Great egret fishing at a pond
Adaptive reuse by wren
House Wren pokes head out of nest
This adult house wren pokes its head out of its nest to see if the coast is clear to carry on with its parental duties. It made countless repeat trips to the nest with its mouth full of insects and made my first visit to Sapsucker Woods unforgettable.
I drove to Ithaca, NY from Toronto this summer to visit Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology (yes, I’m that much of a bird nerd!) and fell in love with the lab’s 220-acre Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary.
Baltimore Oriole Nest
This is a nice Autumn view of what was once a busy Baltimore Oriole Nest. Note the blue material strung throughout. This has been used for the past three years. I have yet to determine where the birds find it.
Nest ID help please!
Found this nest in a tree. It’s about 10 or 11 feet up and it appears to be hanging. It’s made of sticks, leaves, and pieces of plastic. It’s in a forest habitat. The nest appeared to be inactive, I couldn’t get a look inside. Any ideas of what it could be?
Shop babies
Thankfully I saw this before I picked it up
A Brown paper bag that has new microfiber rags inside was used to surround the nest ..
Nest under porch
Nest I found under our porch. It started off shallow nest with 6 eggs, the nest started getting deeper and more straw was added, today a 7th egg appeared
Safe in a Silo
Several nesting pairs of Mountain Bluebirds created nests in this old brick silo from an 1880’s 125 acre homestead in Littleton, CO. Photo taken by a Denver Audubon Naturalist. Sharing space with Western Bluebirds also.
Egg and Nest in camping chair
Carolina wren built nest in folded up camping chair.
Hanging Nest
Found this nest hanging is a tree. Located in the woods, about 50’ into the woods from the driveway. Height about 25’ off the ground. It’s about 4” outer diameter. I can’t seem to identify it on the nest watch page. Any ideas?
Eagles at Fort Donelson
For about 17 years or so the eagles, “Jack” and “Lizzy” have produced offspring, some years only one, but other years up to three. This year there was only one and you can see they are very watchful of their offspring.
Killdeer Nest
This past Spring I came across a Killdeer nest with two recently hatched Killdeer chicks, with one left to hatch. I spotted them from the trail and after a few quick photos I quickly moved on as to not disturb them.
Finch Family
While I was out of town for a few days in the late spring of 2018, my feeders were not getting filled. This one, made by my dad, was usually filled with sunflower seed, but when I got back home, I discovered a pair of house finches had started building a nest in it! Since the feeder was hanging on the porch just outside the living room window, I was able to enjoy watching everything from the adults finishing the nest, to the fledglings leaving the safety of home for the nearby snowball bush. It was a real treat!
What the heck?
These eggs where in an eastern phoebe’s nest. They do no look like cowbird or cuckoo eggs so what are they?
Baby robins
Parents made the nest in a bird feeder
Weirdest nest? I have ever seen
This was near fresh water on a log near a dock. What is it. Almost looked like bubble gum stretched over eggs
Ring of eggs
I found this nest box of a house wren that has a ring around each egg instead of just brown speckles. I have found this once before in 2021,on my daughter’s farm.
Getting Crowded
In a box at my daughter’s farm, I opened this box to count 8 eggs of tree swallow which is above the normal.
Sparrow nest
Two sparrows stuffed a bunch of straw into the space between the roof and wall of our chicken house then left. Do you think they will come back?
Mystery bird nest vs chrysalis?
This tiny thing is about 8 inches of the ground in a hydrangea bush. It’s less than two inches long. The mornings are shaded by a large maple tree. We have no outdoor pets. I don’t know if hummingbirds make nests like this. The hole is a little bigger than a jelly belly, but not as large as a standard jelly bean. Maybe it’s the chrysalis from a swallowtail butterfly, but to me, the top hole looks too finished for a butterfly chewing it’s way out.
What nest?
I posted a picture of this nest the previous week and I got some results.
1: It’s not an abandoned HummingBird nest.
2: It could be a sparrow nest, either song or swamp sparrow.
3: It would be easier if I put a small object in the cup of the nest to determine the cup size.
If you have any ideas, please leave a comment. The nest is in swamp land/marsh and is roughly two feet off the ground.
Abandoned Humming Bird Nest?
I found two of these hummingbird nest in my back woods, are these abandoned? Do humming birds come back to their nests?
Strange Nestfellows
This picture was taken by my son in Waukee, Iowa. The nest is in his fireplace vent. He has seen a house finch entering and exiting the nest. I have two issues:
1) I think the bigger eggs, including the speckled ones and the almost pure white one, are all house finch eggs. My friend thinks the speckled ones are brown-headed cowbird eggs. What do you think?
2) What in the world is the smaller. beige egg?
Your assistance will be appreciated.
WHAT IN THE WORLD?!?
I found this egg underneath a bush nest to my grandparents feeders. As many birds were feeding there, I can’t be sure which laid it. It is a bit larger than a penny—white with brown speckles. What species is the egg and HOW IN THE WORLD did it get there? Surely the mom wouldn’t have laid an egg on bare ground….
Workshop Nest
We’ve discovered an unusually placed nest, eye level in the old workshop next to the light switch of all places. Power to this building is off, and we don’t often use it anymore, so the wren has taken up shop.
What in the world is this?
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nest
One of the parents is always at the nest and is visible on the left. One of the chicks is on the branch near the parent while its four other sibling chicks are still in the nest. There are five chicks, total. The parents have been very attentive and small piles of regurgitated, reddish crayfish have been visible on the nest, where the parents have regurgitated food for the chicks.
Unusual rings on eggs
Over 20 years of monitoring, I’ve never come across house wren eggs with brown rings around the shells. Usually they are cream colored with brown speckles.
Tree Swallows
UNKNOWN NESTWATCH DATA
This is a clay pot birdhouse on someone’s deck at the Kentucky Castle. It looks out onto a pasture with goats. I saw a Tree Swallow enter it 3 times. This is not the first time I’ve seen a Tree Swallow nest on/near someone’s house. Our friends made a small birdhouse without a back and placed it on their windowsill. They posted pictures of the Tree Swallow in it with eggs on Facebook.
Bushtit nest
Observed nest-building begin in March through May 21. Both parents actively adding materials to the nest each day. Then nest abandoned? (don’t see any bushtits at or near nest now)
Working together
A house wren started with sticks but a tree swallow took over by adding few grass and lots of feathers so she could get going on egg laying
Why does this Wren keep laying Eggs in its nest??
This House wren layed one egg a week ago than layed two more a week latter than another two the next day. Is this normal for a wren?
Urgent help needed!
My mom was digging in the garden. Her shovel went into the ground with a CRUNCH! Then she saw something oozing out of the side of the hole. She finished uncovering the item. It was an egg! She came in and asked if any birds laid eggs in the ground. I said “not that I know of.” It’s too big to be a snake or turtle egg and also not round enough to be a turtle egg. WAY to big to be a salamander egg or anything like that. I’m pretty sure it is a Wild Turkey egg, but the only logical explanation of how it got there is that a fox, coyote, Coywolf, raccoon or something like that stole the egg from a turkey nest and buried it in the soft garden dirt so that other animals wouldn’t find it. Before I start digging gently with my hands, risking touching raw egg insides, do you think there are more, and if so, is there any possible way we can save them?
Dark-eyed Junco Nest – 3rd floor balcony birdhouse
The old bird house on our tiny balcony on the 3rd floor was chosen by a pair of Dark-eyed Juncos for nesting. These resourceful little birds have made some amazing shifts in behavior to adapt to urban development. Even watching them build the nest, we weren’t convinced they’d use it. But the other day, lo and behold… two little eggs!
Mourning Dove/House Finch nest
This nesting place belonged to a pair of House Finches last year, but this year when they attempted to nest there again, a pair of Mourning Doves pushed them out. Kind of an unusual place to put a nest, isn’t it?
Whose nest is this?
All signs are leading me to believe this is a Carolina Wren’s nest, except one: I thought they nested in cavities. Although… my cousins have a Carolina Wren nest on their porch, and the opening (of the cavity and nest) is made strait down like this one. But theirs is located inside a plastic flower pot. Does anyone else have a guess that they’d like to share as to what kind of bird built this nest?
Hanging bird nest
This is an old nest with the bottom kind of falling apart. There is a 2nd smaller nest to the left and further down. No bird was observed in the vicinity. It is Oriole-like in construction but has a smaller entrance and I don’t think we have Orioles in this area. Can you tell me what bird might have made it?
Bird or wasp nest?
This is near the roofline of our house in California, we are about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles. We are told it’s swallows, black Phoebe’s nest and mud wasps. We would like help to identify.
Who Built This?
Wondering what species built this nest.
American Robins nesting on the campus of th University of Alabama at Birmingham
A friend shared with me the link of the story of the unsuccessful nesting attempt by the American Robins in Arkansas, so I though I would share these photos and comments with you. I found a nest of American Robins at the building where I work at UAB, on Thanksgiving Day, 2019. Of the three nestlings (see first photo), only one fledged, on 12-8-19 (second photo). Sadly, this baby died on 12-12-19. However, unbeknownst to me, the female had built a second nest and began incubating eggs again on 12-13-19 (third photo). These eggs hatched on 12-27-19 and the three babies eventually fledged on 1-10-20 (fourth photo). Presently, mom and the babies are doing well (last photo, although the condition of mom’s feathers is awful!). I and a couple of friends have been supplying mealworms each day during this entire process.
Please help ID
Master builder?!
Design includes white + black wire, white plastic ties, a rip-cord from what might have been a bag of seed… plus the usual – twigs. Maker unknown!
Mice in Eastern Bluebird Nest Boxes
While checking these two Eastern Bluebird nesting boxes, saw these two nests. One naturalist said they were wren nests, but based on other sources, they appear to be mice nests! Need to know which way they are!
Neat identify
Unknown bird nest
photos of bird nest with bird remains nest is two and a half to three inches in diameter
Tree Swallow Takes Over House Wren Nest
Somehow, a tree swallow was able to assume the house wren nest that was built and safely laid her eggs.
House Wren takes Tree Swallow nest
After a tree swallow had built a nest, a house wren laid her eggs in the nest.
Oriole nest
This is probably an Oriole nest. We have seen during the last 3 weeks Baltimore Oriole and – in a tree beside this nest – an Orchard Orilole.
Unidentified birds nest
this is hanging under a deck (one that you can walk under) – my window looks out under the deck and i have often seen birds flying underneath it so i went to see if there might be a nest .. and found this !
At first I would not assume that this was made by a bird, but because of the frequent sightings of them under the deck… i guess it would have to be. Also, have not seen the birds, only heard them chirping when they are near the nest.
I remember the same activity last summer… BUT … never saw a nest like this before.
Thanks, Wendy Goodrich
wgllloyd4@comcast.net
Black-capped Chickadee Nest
An unusual nest for a Black-capped Chickadee. Chickadees usually use moss to build their nests, but this one decided to re-use a Tree Swallow nest.
Birds eye (window) view
Robins nest inside bedroom window overlooking the driveway watching for visitors.
Great Blue Heron Nest
Searching for eagle near nest.
I was hoping to spot the eagles. Last week there was no sight of them, but the mudslides had made the drive treacherous and the rain was thundering, so I couldn’t get out of the car that week. This week I was heading out of skid row in downtown Los Angeles where I do charity dental care. I was heading out there early at 4pm and with the sun setting, I thought I might have a chance to check the nest before dusk. Besides I could see Mount Baldy’s snow cap and thought it would look great if the eagles were there. No luck, but enough light at dusk and no rain for the first time in days, so I got out for a search. SUCCESS!
Mixed species nest example
A nest box had been occupied first by a Western Bluebird pair and actually had the first confirmed eggs of the 2018 season. The first clutch had 5 eggs but only 3 WEBL chicks successfully fledged from the box as of June 3. When the box was checked one week later (June 10), a new nest was observed with one bluebird egg, one swallow egg and one additional swallow egg was on the ground along with an adult Tree Swallow seen in the area. Another bluebird egg was laid the next day but adult bluebirds were not seen near the box again. The nest remained as a Tree Swallow nest that fledged 3 chicks but the bluebird eggs never hatched.
Literate house wren
Barn nest
Eastern phoebe nest in our barn on top of light post, cowbird egg was removed from the nest
Pink Bluebird eggs
Living Over the Restaurant?
While I was out of town recently, my sunflower feeder remained empty for several days, and a house finch decided to move in!
Tree Swallow and Eastern Bluebird
White Eastern Bluebird Eggs
ON A BRIDGE…
This nest is 215 feet above sea level situated between pillars within a work zone on a bridge.
At this time parent birds have not been sited. Beautifully crafted nest with two eggs.
Chickadees remove Bluebird eggs from Nesting Box in Tennessee
5 Bluebird eggs were in this nest originally. I found 2 broken eggs on the ground and another was missing the morning of April 24. 2 eggs remained in the best. I put up a camera in an attempt to see what bird was responsible. A few hours later, a pair of chickadees are caught on camera going in and out of the nesting box. I edited 2.5 hours of video down to 12 minutes of activity. Skip to 10:58 to see the egg in the chickadee’s beak. Papa Bluebird returns at (12:06) the end of the video to find his home raided.
New Perch
Fabricated a new safety perch. We don’t want to lose any little ones. The purple martin seems to really like it as he uses it to sun himself and to survey the area as he eagerly awaits the females arrival. He has been busy bringing additional nesting materials to the pine needles it put in.
New resident
Homemade house of a large fishing bobber cooler mounted on a 16ft pole. Put it up 4-22-18 and occupied on 4-23-18. Timing is everything!
Nest in vineyard vines – possibly sparrows
Found this little nest in grapevine – parents weren’t there so don’t know what type of bird it is. But it was tiny.
Dark-eyed junco roosting in a purple martin house
For about 2 weeks this junco has been roosting every evening in my purple martin gourds or houses. Video created on 3/5/18.
Bluebirds nesting in the Crepe Myrtle
In 2011, this nest of Eastern Bluebirds was found in my Crepe Myrtle tree. After seeing the recent article in the NABS “Bluebird Journal” of Fall 2017 (vol. 39, no.4) reprinted from the NestWatch blog, I decided to share my photos from 2011. I didn’t see the nest being built, but it was finished when I saw it, and the bluebirds were the only ones I saw at the nest. It looks, to me, as if the nest material is, indeed, a bluebird-selected material.
Western Kingbirds
4 eggs laid on 6/11/17, 3 eggs hatched on 6/29/17. 2 of the 3 survived and left the nest on 7/20/17.
Truly the most incredible experience watching each day the little changes!!!!
Peafowl nest hidden in dense shrubs
Tailor bird nest
Pair of Weaver bird on work of art
Cattle egret family o mest
Cattle egret nets
Eastern Kingbird Takes Occupancy of a Vacant Nestbox
Our bluebird/tree swallow box was vacant this year. The wind blew open the door and before we could close it an Eastern Kingbird took occupancy. She just hatched three nestlings and stands watch over her nestlings.
Multiple Barn Swallow nests
Barn Swallow nests in riser at Lake Barton dam. Appears to be 7-8 nests on top of one another. Looks like growth rings. A normal Barn Swallow nest is on the other side.
Peek a Boo!
Nest in floral porch hanging