The most amazing thing is happening.
Our front door is one of those double glass pane frosted design kind of doors. A few seasons back a sweet friend gave me a lovely grapeviney wreath after I commented on how pretty I thought hers was. Since I hang it out every spring and summer season it went up about two weeks ago.
Earlier last week I noticed that we were getting a lot of swooping bird action if we passed the door or even
the kitchen windows. I watched for a minute and sure enough two birds swooped in and landed on the wreath and then swooped away again.
At first I thought they were trying to pick branches off the wreath to carry away.
Boy, was I wrong!
Over the next several days I watched as they’d bring bright pieces of grass and twigs and tuck them onto the back side of the wreath. They were building a nest. I was fascinated but figured once the door saw some traffic (it’s the only door we use to come into the house) that they’d wise up and realize that the front door of Hadding Homestead wasn’t going to be the greatest place to set up a home.
I was wrong again. Despite our normal usage they have continued to build a sweet little nest. I’m a little concerned about how things will go if there are eggs laid at some point. I contemplated going to Hobby Lobby and finding something comparable that I could hang on one of the two porch columns but Rob thinks part of the draw for the birds is the fact that it is up under the roof and protected.
I’m not really sure if I should try and move the wreath and hang it on one of the porch windows? I don’t want to cause them to abandon their little home but I don’t want them to realize too late that they wish they had chosen a different location for their babies’ nurseries. If they even lay eggs.
To be honest I have thoroughly enjoyed them. They sing right at my door and it is a sweet happy sound. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve raised the window blinds to get a better look or crept stealthily to the window to try and catch a glimpse of them. Or waited, holding perfectly still with camera in hand to grab a few shots.
They’re utterly delightful and fascinating. Being so still and quiet and then being given the reward of seeing their curious little faces turn around, almost as if they are looking at me with the same curiosity that I have for them. I am assuming that the more brightly colored one is the male and the lil’ mama is the one doing the actual nest building.
The sweetest part is that they are always together. At first he would settle himself in on the lower inner circle while she perched at the top and crafted the abode. He would have the occasional grass but lately he has been landing on the porch itself, almost as if he is standing guard while she works. They fly off together and return together.
It is making for a lovely start to spring.
“Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” Luke 12:24
The Common Place 