Spring brings nesting time

With the sun out from behind the clouds, temperatures rising, birds returning from the south, fields turned green, trees leafing out and buds bursting, nesting time is with us.

A female blackbird in my back yard is busily at work trying to free a piece of firmly anchored string as her black mate sits on a limb above observing her efforts.

Birds are scouring the area for bits of string, grass, twigs, fur, feathers: any material that can be used to build and line a warm, secure nest for their babies. The fence where our old ewe has subbed all year is stripped of every bit of wool clinging to the wire. That wool is now being used to warm those naked baby birds.

The birds seem to appreciate the help. Any string, yarn, raffia or similar materials, even a ratty old, worn out sweater are ideal.

Hung on a fence or laid where the birds can see it, birds of different kinds will be attracted to this smorgasbord of nesting material and carry it off to build and furnish nests.

Blakbirds seem to be among the best of aviary parents, always willing to risk their own lives for their young. More than once I have been hit in the head when a gung-ho parent attacked me as I walked past the nest.

The first time one flew down and whacked me on the back of the head I was really startled, but it has happened many times since then.

Blackbird parents seem to be more truly concerned about their young than most birds.

My son, Jim, told me of a time when as he was stopping at a stop sign. A young fledgling flew into his van as he stopped.

The collision with the van killed the young bird. Jim looked in his rearview mirror and, as he started up, he could see the mother bird fly down to her young and flutter there.

Jim had the distinct impression that the mother bird let out an agonized cry of, “Oh, No.”