I have missed so many thematic challenges in Amazing Nature community, hosted by @bucipuci. This time I decided that I will find time to enter since the challenge is related to birds and you know how much I love my feathered friends.
Here is the link to the challenge - Amazing Nature Contest: Thematic Challenge - #3/5/21. Read carefully the rules.
Although this time the focus is on their nests, I want to stress on something and I will put it in bold because it is important.
If you wish to take part in the challenge, keep in mind that you must be very descreet and to shoot from a distance and you should not disturb the nesting birds. If it is in the wild, this will risk to attract the predators. Believe me you may not see them, but tney do. The nesting period is very, very important for the birds.
Of course, birds are very good adapting and using the urban areas for nesting. Some hide their nests high in the tree branches and hardly can be spotted. Others are bold enough to have their nests visible and so close to humans that it makes the task easy. So, this is how I will show you something you may have seen and it is not unusual - the nest of house martins.
House martins build their nests of mud and they usually can be seen in corners next to the windows of the buildings. The trouble is all the bird dropping under the nest.
The house martins are migratory birds. Once they return in spring they will rebuild what was destroyed from their former homes. When they leave, the nests will be occupied by the sparrows. Not all of them, but I have noticed sparrows moving in.
The other way of building nests is like these ones - lined up above the lamp. This is above the entrence of the post office next to my home.
House martins are very hard to photograph especially when they fly. They are extremely fast. But when they perched on wire (something I still miss to capture) or when they are feeding their fledglings and you have patience enough to wait when they enter or leave the nest, then you can have a shot.
This one was standing for a little awhile between the ceiling and the lamp next to the nest. Look at its tiny beak and just imagine how many times it flies to and fro carrying mud to construct its home. Amazing, isn't it?
And next is another bird that lives close to people and drills the holes in the trees. Yes, you guess it right, the woodpecker.
When you see it in action, oh boy, they are restless like a drilling machine.
Some birds do not put much effort and just use the abandoned nests. Like the starlings. They are known to use woodpeckers nests.
Look at this starling half way through the hole.
Did you notice how birds used any possibility to build nests in rather unusual places. Like the tree sparrow who has used a hole on a wall of a house.
Hopefully all these birds will have healthy chicks and will raise them.
And that is all for now.
Happy birding!
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Thank you for entering the competition.
Great care must be taken when photographing nests. I also emphasized this when entering the challenge.
Many birds build their nests on human buildings. People in cities have the opportunity to watch the whole nesting time from a respectful distance :-)
Today I heard a noise from a tree and there was a hole where Great tit was nesting.
Yes, many birds nest close to us and we can watch them and respect them.
Soon we will see them raising their little ones.
Last spring, I watched nesting sparrows for about two hours. They made a nest under the roof of the woodshed. It was interesting to watch how he teaches to fly his cub :-)
What a beautiful catch, congratulations.
It is very true what you say when being careful when observing the nests of birds, here we are very respectful with them.
What beautiful images you show us in this opportunity.
Success in the contest
I take this opportunity to wish you a splendid night and a well-deserved resthello dear friend @nelinoeva good night
Thank you @jlufer. This is so kind of you.
very lovely!!! I witnessed such clay nests in my village youth, many many years ago :P
Oh, there are so many in my town.
#birfing -> #birding 😂
Always happened when I commute and the road is bumpy, typos.
my pleasure to help / correct, when I see one.
🧐 🧚♀️