Abandoned? bird nest on my deck

Nick · Jun 12, 2011

So I had this nest on my back deck that was built a few week ago in a palm tree I've got out there. I think towards the end of May. Anyway there are three perfect little blue eggs in it - but it's been a few weeks now and I'm starting to think the nest was abandoned.

I have a cat so I was nervous the cat was going to kill the bird but I didn't see the bird's body or anything anywhere. So either the nest was abandoned or what?

Anyway, any chance of saving the birdies? My wife said I should bring them in under a heating lamp or something but even if we did that I wouldn't know how to feed a bird or anything, lol. Plus I'm thinking since it's been three weeks those eggs are probably toast anyway

JimG. · Jun 12, 2011

Nick said:
So I had this nest on my back deck that was built a few week ago in a palm tree I've got out there. I think towards the end of May. Anyway there are three perfect little blue eggs in it - but it's been a few weeks now and I'm starting to think the nest was abandoned.

I have a cat so I was nervous the cat was going to kill the bird but I didn't see the bird's body or anything anywhere. So either the nest was abandoned or what?

Anyway, any chance of saving the birdies? My wife said I should bring them in under a heating lamp or something but even if we did that I wouldn't know how to feed a bird or anything, lol. Plus I'm thinking since it's been three weeks those eggs are probably toast anyway

I know it will lead to words with your wife, but leave 'em alone. Where does the cat spend most of its' time?

If the bird built that nest and laid those eggs without getting eaten, it clearly has figured out a way to do so incognito. Frankly, I think the challenge will be when they hatch if they do.

Or, maybe the parent did get eaten in which case the nest and eggs are trash.

Nick · Jun 12, 2011

That's what I'm guessing. I read somewhere they normally are 12 - 14 days to hatch and thos ehave been out there for like 3 weeks at least.

bvibert · Jun 13, 2011

Sounds like a lost cause to me.

dmc · Jun 13, 2011

My robin chicks in the lilacs are huge now...

4aprice · Jun 13, 2011

We have a couple of Robins that have taken up residence under our deck. They actually have built three nest this spring. First one was on the arm of our satellite dish. We know she laid eggs there because I found one on the driveway below. I think it got attacked by a Blue Jay that also lives here. The 2nd two are under the deck, why #2 was abandoned I don't know but she's sitting on #3. The male is a proud guy who likes to look at his reflection in the slider doors and the side view mirror of one of our cars

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Nick · Jun 13, 2011

Yeah I think they are abandoned too. Something could ahappened to the mommy too. was kind cool they built the thing right on the deck, oh well.

ctenidae · Jun 13, 2011

If it's been a couple of weeks, especially with the variable temperatures we've been having, they're not even good for an omelet anymore. Sadl, but true.

I did bird research in Arizona a large number of years ago, and we saw quite a few birds renest. Not so much after laying eggs, but it's not unreasonable.

tjf67 · Jun 13, 2011

I had a nest on my deck this spring. A robin laid her eggs. I could see it from my couch. Big Mama would be gone each morning when I got up (5:30) but back within 15 minutes to sit. Two Sundays ago I got up and she was not there. I checked back around 9:00 and she was still not there. I started to worry thinking something happened. Well around 11:00 she showed up in the tree next to the porch. Her wing was broken but she managed to climb the tree. She could not get across to the nest on the deck. I went outside to grab a stick to try and make a bridge for her. On my way back in the house I heard a scream from my wife. She tried jumping across and went straight to the ground. I went outside to see her and she was running around and could not be caught. It was a sad morning as I thought she and the nest were toast. I saw her around the next couple of days and on the third day I chased her and she started flying. Not far but around 30 feet. After that I did not see her again and am assuming she healed herself and will breed another year.

Was a sad morning when I saw her and her wing. Her drive to get to those eggs was heartbreaking.

Seeing her fly made my day.

The nest is now trinket in my house.

ctenidae · Jun 13, 2011

Funny story about the perseverance of mothers (birds, at least).

When I was in AZ, i worked on the team that was studying woodpeckers. Part of what we'd do was capture the adults at the nest to take measurements and put bands on their legs for identification. The primary tool for this activity was a homemade contraption consisting of a windowwasher's pole that would telescope out to about 30 feet, with the handle of a fishing net duct taped to the end. Inside the handle was a sewing hoop, into which we'd stick a clear plastic bag. We'd position someone under the tree with the hoop held away from the woodpecker's hole and wait for the bird to go in the nest. As soon as it did, the bag was slapped up against the hole and someone would start wailing on the tree with a log, driving the bird out and into the bag. All fo this was, in most instances, pretty funny (especially 30 feet up a tree on Swedish climbing ladders).

The research we were doing is used by the Forest Service for their forestry management programs, so we took a group of rangers out with us one day to show them what we were up to. Thinking we'd make it easy on ourselves, we decided to go to a tree that housed a family of pygmy nuthatches (they're polygamists, and may have 5-6 individuals living in one nest) in a nest that was only about 15 feet off the ground. We got all set up, with the catcher stationed under the tree at the ready and a beater off to the side ready to beat the tree. I got the rangers settled down a bit away from teh tree where they could see the hole, and we waited for one of the birds to go in. And we waited. And waited. And waited. half an hour later, we'd managed a couple of attempts, but hadn't caught anything. Thinking the bag was too far away from the hole (those guys are fast), and operating on the belief that if it doesn't move for long enough a bird will forget it's there (cat physics at work), we lined the bag up with the edge of the hole and settled in again. About 15 minutes later, 3 females flew over and landed on top of the hoop, and started pecking on the rig. One of the rangers said, "Not sure you guys are doing any good out here, but you're sure as shit not bothering the birds."

We packed up and went back to camp. Never did get bands on any of those birds.

bvibert · Jun 13, 2011

ctenidae said:
Funny story about the perseverance of mothers (birds, at least).

When I was in AZ, i worked on the team that was studying woodpeckers. Part of what we'd do was capture the adults at the nest to take measurements and put bands on their legs for identification. The primary tool for this activity was a homemade contraption consisting of a windowwasher's pole that would telescope out to about 30 feet, with the handle of a fishing net duct taped to the end. Inside the handle was a sewing hoop, into which we'd stick a clear plastic bag. We'd position someone under the tree with the hoop held away from the woodpecker's hole and wait for the bird to go in the nest. As soon as it did, the bag was slapped up against the hole and someone would start wailing on the tree with a log, driving the bird out and into the bag. All fo this was, in most instances, pretty funny (especially 30 feet up a tree on Swedish climbing ladders).

The research we were doing is used by the Forest Service for their forestry management programs, so we took a group of rangers out with us one day to show them what we were up to. Thinking we'd make it easy on ourselves, we decided to go to a tree that housed a family of pygmy nuthatches (they're polygamists, and may have 5-6 individuals living in one nest) in a nest that was only about 15 feet off the ground. We got all set up, with the catcher stationed under the tree at the ready and a beater off to the side ready to beat the tree. I got the rangers settled down a bit away from teh tree where they could see the hole, and we waited for one of the birds to go in. And we waited. And waited. And waited. half an hour later, we'd managed a couple of attempts, but hadn't caught anything. Thinking the bag was too far away from the hole (those guys are fast), and operating on the belief that if it doesn't move for long enough a bird will forget it's there (cat physics at work), we lined the bag up with the edge of the hole and settled in again. About 15 minutes later, 3 females flew over and landed on top of the hoop, and started pecking on the rig. One of the rangers said, "Not sure you guys are doing any good out here, but you're sure as shit not bothering the birds."

We packed up and went back to camp. Never did get bands on any of those birds.

Well, at least you didn't accidentally kill one or something...

o3jeff · Jun 13, 2011

The past 2 times I cut my lawn I've found a dead baby bird under one of my trees, not sure why they keep getting kicked out of the nest.

from_the_NEK · Jun 13, 2011

I have a Robin's nest under my deck. Friday there were 3 chicks in it. Yesterday nothing and I haven't seen either parent. I don't have a cat and I haven't seen any lurking around. Same for Blue Jays. I have seen weasels around my house in the past but none this year. I wonder what happened. :dontknow:

Nick · Jun 13, 2011

My cat is pretty ruthless so it could have been the cat. Although usually it leaves the severed heads on the back doormat.... blah.

dmc · Jun 13, 2011

SkiFanE said:
Based on 'our' nest that has 4 chicks...they outgrow it and maybe the smallest or smelliest gets kicked out by their loving sibling (?). Or if the mother still has to sit on them, maybe she can't fit and kicks out the bad apple? (ahhh...if only a human mother could wield such power)

Kinda like Alpine Zone?

FREE GSS!!!

JerseyJoey · Jun 13, 2011

o3jeff said:
The past 2 times I cut my lawn I've found a dead baby bird under one of my trees, not sure why they keep getting kicked out of the nest.

For not freeing GSS of course. Don't free GSS, get kicked out of the nest. Simple.

ctenidae · Jun 13, 2011

bvibert said:
Well, at least you didn't accidentally kill one or something...

That happened, too, though not during capture. Couple of removal studies that didn't, shall we say, go as planned.

Nick · Jun 13, 2011

Guys please keep it in the "Fight the power" thread. I'm talking about birds in here

dmc · Jun 13, 2011

Nick said:
Guys please keep it in the "Fight the power" thread. I'm talking about birds in here

Our bad...

But the similarities between kicking a baby bird out and GSS were just too much not to mention..

My baby birds are fine... 4 in the nest... Red feathers now... Almost ready for my cat to eat...

JerseyJoey · Jun 13, 2011

Birds?

Abandoned? bird nest on my deck

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