One More Peep in the Nest: Mother Nature`s Birds


                Remember a few weeks ago when I was watching that robin’s nest for you from a walkway window in an office complex? Just as we were reaching hatching time, the parent birds abandoned the nest, and the baby chicks never showed up. I drew the conclusion that the eggs must have been stolen by local predators or something.

                Well, I figured that was about it. The end of the story. Thank you very much. Good night. Maybe next year.

                As days went by, I occasionally peered wistfully at that nest, wishing things had gone differently. Yet the nest remained abandoned. Once or twice I saw a sparrow hanging out near it, or taking some bits and pieces of twigs from it, but that was it.

As a series of storms blew through, the nest became more and more dilapidated. It’s like any other structure. If no one is around to do the maintenance and upkeep jobs, it quickly falls into disrepair. More than that, the winds must have given it a battering because its angle became more and more perilous. It began to look like it was barely hanging onto its little nook. I thought another storm or two and it will be gone. If not, the first snows of winter will destroy it in a few months. Either way, that’s that.

                Then the other day I was walking down the same walkway and – lo and behold! – a magpie was lounging around in the little nest! To be honest, it looked just a little silly because the nest was about 2 sizes too small for this big bird whose head and tail feathers extended a good inch or more beyond the edge of the nest on either side. But the bird didn’t seem to mind.

                For a moment, I thought I was going to see some little baby magpies, although it was kind of hard to imagine how. The magpie’s eggs must be bigger than the robin’s, given the difference in size of the actual birds. But this wasn’t the case after all. I did a little reading and found out magpies have a specific routine for their nest building practices with both parents playing a role. They don’t seem to be known for taking over other birds’ nests that I could see. They also have a favorite design. Their nests are usually shaped like deep bowls.

                This magpie simple plopped down, stuck his head under his wing and snoozed awhile. Later, when I peeked at the nest again, he was gone and he hasn’t been back. As near as I can figure, he must have seen this deserted nest and thought this would be a great place for a little vacation.

                It just goes to show, Mother Nature always has a trick up her sleeve. She also doesn’t believe in waste. Even a crumbling, abandoned nest can be put to good use.

                Now, I’m going to follow the magpie’s example and grab a little vacation myself (although not in a robin’s nest!). I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with lots more stories to tell!
File:Black-Billed Magpie.jpg
Photo by Alan D. Wilson

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