Wagtails Weekend Wake…
Our willy wagtails nest has been the focus of much attention recently. Tucked away cleverly in the very corner of the roof rafters on our outdoor laundry, this tiny nest of woven cobwebs and horsehair has been housing three baby birds.
…
Well. It was.
On Saturday I went downstairs to change a load of washing, check on the ankle-biters activities in the backyard, and see if SSB wanted a cup of coffee.
And as I came back upstairs, I looked up (as is now my habit) towards the nest.
Something was hanging from the side of the little grey structure.
Too big to be a moth.
Too small to be a bat.
I looked closer.
*gasp*
Oh no. A tiny, limp, naked baby bird.
It’s teeny toes tangled in some horse hair.
Unopened eyes still sightless.
Quite lifeless.
So, before the kids came up for smoko, I grabbed some tongs, climbed the ladder and gently removed the little body from the edge of the nest. The poor little barely-feathered friend.
…
The parent Willy Wagtails were chirruping at me quite busily as I performed my grim little task. And as soon as I was down from the ladder, they were noisily inspecting the nest. I felt dreadful, but hoped they would simply focus their energies on the remaining chicks. I am not sure what they would have done with the remains of the dead chick – but am certain it was better away from the surviving siblings.
…
Then Sunday morning, having discussed the “wagtail situation” with SSB, he offered to check the other chicks. I had tried to stay away from the nest to let the family settle again the previous day, but was keen to know how they were faring.
He shook his head as he came back into the kitchen.
“Only one chick,” he said.
..
I was dismayed. What had happened to the second chick… perhaps it had tried to fly to coop too soon and fallen to the concrete. Perhaps Middy (the cat) had cleaned up. Who knows.
…
Then there was one.
It’s still there. I checked myself.
With both parents feeding it like crazy.
I wonder if it wonders where it’s brothers went?
Or if it’s eyes were still closed and it has no memory of them?
I wonder if Willy Wagtails take these things in?
Or are they so bird-brained they cannot count?
I wonder if I’m the only ridiculous person worrying about such things?
…
Perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned here?
Perhaps Leslie’s students (who are apparently keeping an eye on the Granite Glen nest-cam) can shed some light on it for me. Failing that, David Attenborough? (C’mon, stop lurking man! Heh.)
Or perhaps it’s simply this:
Mother Nature is a cruel, cruel beast sometimes.
…
(Unless both the little victims got tangled in the blinking sticky tape…
then I’m really in trouble!)
…
Signing off and handing in my Honorary Mother Nature crown…
BB
12 Comments
jeanie
Oh no – how devastating.
But another perhaps is they took some notice of my verification – berstool (no, I am not joking)!!
Debby
Mine was humbess here, but earlier I had ‘waltzies’. After a turn with my computer chair, I finished the comments.
Anyways, how sad for the willie wagtail family. Some birds will discard the bodies of their dead young over the side of the nest (housekeeping?) but when you’re trying to do a documentary about life in the wild, it’s downright upsetting. Still, though, there is one.
Leslie
ARGH! I’m upset!
I was telling the principal about them today and all about the sticky tape. He is the one who gave us the fallen down Mynah nest for our class science table.
Do you know, he brought his gross great big stick insect in for me to mind today. ERK! After school I tipoted in and popped it back in his office. EW!
OK, I will put a comment on a student’s blog and get her to research mortality rates and possible reasons why.
Then we can all know. 🙂
Leslie
They breed from August through to February and can do four successive lots.
The eggs take 2 weeks to hatch then the babies leave the nest at 2 weks, but stay with their parents for a while, until the next lot hatches.
Bush Babe
Thanks Leslie (and students!)… I wonder if they will use the same nest. I also wonder if the spot they have chosen gets too hot (right under the corrugated iron roof)??
I shall keep an (eagle) eye on the survivor… (and yes, I do crack myself up!).
🙂
BB
Bush Babe
PS Deb I have a very clear mental image of the office chair cha-cha!!
Pencil Writer
Not to be too hard on yourself, BB. Mother Nature keeps things in balance somehow, we may not know how. But, as you (or SSB) stated, alas, there remains one. And the God of heaven knows you did your best to assist all in the nest to a better chance a life.
We do all come and we all do go. Challenges aboud at every corner. Thanks for keeping us informed of the life and trials at Granite Glen: microcosm.
Pencil Writer
“Aboud”: I has a co’d in my nose, I s’pose.
Make that read “abound” above. Sorry for the poor finger picking this morning.
Muddy Boot Dreams
So sad, especially when you have tried to help them. Sorry to hear that it happened that way.
Jen
BOSSY
You had Bossy at Outdoor Laundry. Truly. Bossy has to wash clothes in her dank cluttered basement.
Wrensong Farm
Sometimes even the babies themselves will “kick out” their siblings. That one remaining baby will probably be a very well fed healthy WWT when ready to fly from the nest.
My word verification is sakederi…? Is that where they milk the rare sake cow? Which is the only cow that produces alcoholic milk…which would explain the smiling stumbling calves…..
Bush Babe
Guys… while I am sad that two of the little chicks didn’t make it, I’m pretty pragmatic.
WF – is that true? THe SIBLINGS kick out their brothers/sisters? Gads. That IS tough. A whole blog post there!
Bossy – well HELLO sister. Sometimes indoor and dank sounds good to me – especially when a load needs to go in the dryer in the depths of winter, or in summer when toads and snakes like to investigate that particular area. Gak city!
PW – I just thought you had a cold!
🙂
BB
PS love the confirmation word by-play… I had “mixedup” yesterday. I think Blogger is psychic.