Nature Notes: Nesting

The monarchs weren't the only ones whose life cycle we got to observe at close range this summer. Some bird neighbors moved in to raise a brood, too.

It took me a little while to put it all together. I'd seen some blue jays looking busy in the backyard, and idly wondered if they had a nest nearby. I'd also noticed something curious one day: half a wiffle ball lying on the back stoop, with no explanation for how it got there. After a day or so, it disappeared and I forgot all about it.

Then cousin Sarah shared a picture of a perfect robins' nest she noticed outside her bedroom window, all smooth and sculpted with two beautiful blue eggs inside. It got me wondering again about those blue jays. Later that day, I watched one fly up to a branch in the white pine tree, straight above the back door. Sure enough, there was a messy pile of sticks that did, indeed, look like a nest. And when I looked closer, I saw that they'd decorated it with a special treasure: the very same wiffle ball I'd seen earlier. I imagine they discovered the ball somewhere and eagerly carried it up to their branch. It must have fallen at some point during nest-building down onto the back stoop. Then, marvelous treasure that it is, they hauled it back up again and carefully placed it just so beside the nest. (How I wish I'd seen that maneuver!)

Look to the right of the pile of sticks, squint a bit, and you'll see the wiffle ball.

It looked a bit of a mess, frankly. If the robins' nest was a house with a neatly manicured lawn and potted petunias beside the front door, then this was just the opposite. You know the type: overgrown grass, peeling paint, an old car or two rusting in back, and plenty of lawn ornaments of questionable taste. But sure enough, I could see the tail of mama blue jay poking out of the nest as she dutifully incubated her brood.

Some days later, it occurred to me that I could probably see the nest from the window of the upstairs bedroom, if I took off the blind and craned my neck a bit. What did I see? Four baby jays, all beaks and beady eyes! (I know you can only see two or three in these photos, but I definitely caught sight of four at times.)

With the window open and my camera held out at an awkward angle, I was able to get some photos. I even got lucky and captured feeding time, with mama or papa jay and some wide-open mouths.

 I could almost imagine the little jays taunting each other as siblings do, all piled into that nest on top of each other.

Bet you're too scared to hop out on that branch and flap your wings! I dare you!

Oh, yeah? Just watch me!

Life isn't easy for a baby bird in the early days, and sadly one of these guys tumbled out of the tree and met its end right here in the yard. The others have fledged and we'll just hope they're making their way in the world. No news is good news. They're probably scoping out lawn ornaments for their own new digs already.