Bird Battles

It started a little over a week ago. Our resident robins, and they are "Legion", decided that our new porch would be a great place to build their nest for the Spring. Last week, one mama robin had half a nest constructed on one of our beams in a matter of minutes. I've torn down about three half finished nests as they move from beam to beam, after I've tacked a bag on it to discourage them. I really hate for them to work so hard on something that I won't let happen when they can be doing the same work somewhere else - somewhere safe. But they are a persistent bird. They return over and over with mouths full of nest making materials and they have the hardest time trying to figure out why "their spot" is not available anymore. After trying to make plastic bags work for several days, I finally found a better deterrent - empty coffee containers that I've been saving for future painting plans. They are great for putting a little paint in and they have their own built in handle. Anyway, they worked great as a nest building deterrent. The robins, even this morning, are landing next to them, with mouth-fulls of grass, and wondering what these things are doing covering their nest sight.

I have three coffee containers and one bag on four of our beams. The one beam at the end of this picture is too far from a rafter for them to use as a nest sight. It offers no protection from the wind. They're not dumb.

You can see the befuddled robin on the railing. You can't see her mouth-full of grass. She is at a loss as to why that red thing is covering up her nest. If you look hard to the lower right you can also see one of our resident rabbits eating our grass.

This is a zoom pic through our window (with shades) so it's not so clear, but you can see the material in her mouth as she stares at the coffee can on her post. This is at the other end of our porch from the picture before this.

Now, back to the other end of the porch - the mama robin finally gave up and just dropped her nest material on the railing. It's hard to not let them build their nests on our porch, but it's not safe and I don't want bird droppings all over my porch either.

I am so amazed at their persistence and dedication. God made them to seek a nesting place this time of year, and they are totally focused on doing what He created them to do. It truly reminds me of something I share often. Man is the only thing in all creation that can and does chose to not do what God created him to do. But then again, man is the only thing in all creation that God wants an eternal relationship with, and love must always be a choice.