I've begun to look in trees now that I have raised baby squirrels. I wonder how they possibly survive out in the wind and the rain when they are so little and fragile. I have seen a few squirrels peeking out of a rare cubbyhole in a tree trunk, though they probably had to fight a pileated woodpecker for the real estate. But I learned that squirrels usually make a nest (called a drey) of leaves and twigs positioned between two sturdy branches... high enough to be safe from predators but not so high that they will fall victim to high winds, pelting rain and such. The nests are lined with soft things like feathers and moss. I would love to see one up close someday, or find a film of babies nursing from their mother in the nest. Having fed them myself, and watched them sleep and grow, I have wondered many times how it occurs in the wild.
Back to nests---
I thought this was a squirrel nest when I took it... though it's pretty big. This is what it looks like from the ground:
Then closer:
And closer.
This looks so big that it may be some kind of larger bird's nest. It's a marvel in any case... how is it balancing? While it may be in the fork of two branches, it's extended so far out into space, so far from the trunk of the tree. Considering whatever made this has to carry the materials in their mouth or beak, to get something this big had to be made of many many small deposits of found stuff. How does that first little pile of leaves or twigs stay in place while the critter scurries or flies to find more?
Do any of you know? Have you seen a nest being built by any species? Any related stories or tidbits on the topic? Oh please,
do tell!
Then closer:
And closer.
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4 comments:
I'm pretty sure that's a squirrel nest. That's what the ones around here look like anyway. I've never seen a squirrel build a nest but one day out side my window I watched a squirrel tear off the lower dried outside on a banana tree, gather the stuff up in a wad and scurry off with it. It came back several times.
That looks like a squirrel nest. We had one high up in our large oak tree and it looked very similar. Like you, I wondered how it stayed put. It lasted for several years before it fell part over the winter. The most interesting thing I found out about it was what the mama was using as part of her nest lining - a pink bathroom rug! I found bits and pieces of the furry pink stuff all over the yard and roof and on tree branches. I'm not sure where she found it but she made good use of it. I would have loved to see the babies snug in their furry pink nest.
Looks like bird~art to me X:-)
(Ps) My luvverley neighbour ~saved~ some chOOkz from a chicken farm a few weeks ago... And Oh lordy i fEEl like ~Sydney junior~ as i watch them 'chooking' (well that's what it sounds like to me!) around my back- yard... Yes we share them X:-) & we even have a little 'chOOk door' in the fence now (So they don't have to strain their little chOOky legz if they want to visit!) sighhh... Yes *YOU* have rubbed off on me <3
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