How to water a hanging plant that... Now with bonus question about relocating bird nest

[MEmama]

Has a brand new baby bird nest in it?

I'm so excited for baby birds (!!!) but also I don't want to scare the them off or let my flowers die? Suggestions? 
 

Bonus question:

We have roofers coming this week to replace the roof. The plant will have to be moved out of the way, but how? How will the parent birds find their eggs/babies? Also it's going to be very loud. I'm so worried 😞 

Edited May 27, 2023 by MEmama

[Faith-manor]

Wicking. If you can put a table or stand close the plant, then place a 2 gallon bucket of water on that, use some nylon or cotton rope like clothesline one end in the patio of water, and the other laid inside the pot, then water will wick from the bucket to the hanging pot. You can use aluminum foil over the pot to keep mosquitos out, and just cut a hole for the string/rope. 3/8" should do it.

[MEmama]

Hmmm, not sure I can get a bucket close enough but I'll see what I can rig up. That's a good idea.

I've never hosted a bird nest before and my maternal instincts are kicking in, lol. I just discovered it and I'm having a very difficult time not peeking in! 

[Pawz4me]

Maybe you could use something like a turkey baster or a really big syringe to give it a little water at a time?

[Katy]

I’d try a flower water bulb or more realistically, let the flowers die

[Lecka]

My mom sprays them with a hose from a distance, angled up so the water falls down at an angle, the best she can.   

She is willing to take the chance, though.  She also has larger/sturdier hanging baskets, which I’m sure makes a difference.  

 

[Ann.without.an.e]

Birds put nests in my basket every single year. I always just water gently around the nest. It doesn't seem to disturb them. Just don't water so much that it floods the little nest. 

[MEmama]

10 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

Birds put nests in my basket every single year. I always just water gently around the nest. It doesn't seem to disturb them. Just don't water so much that it floods the little nest. 

Ok, good to know. I was afraid I'd scare them off.

The nest is adorable! 

[MEmama]

Bonus question:

We have roofers coming this week to replace the roof. The plant will have to be moved out of the way, but how? How will the parent birds find their eggs/babies? Also it's going to be very loud. I'm so worried 😞 

Edited May 27, 2023 by MEmama

[Indigo Blue]

11 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

Birds put nests in my basket every single year. I always just water gently around the nest. It doesn't seem to disturb them. Just don't water so much that it floods the little nest. 

Same. I might get up on a chair just to do a one-time check to see where the nest is located in the basket. Then I just water on the opposite side with a water can with a long, skinny spout. Very gently. I’ve done this for years. Then I watch the babies fledge when they are ready. Little baby birds all over the front porch getting ready to fly. 

[MEmama]

Is it possible that the birds will hatch and fly away by next week? I think the nest was built last week.

[Pawz4me]

Is there a tree (not too tall, not too small) nearby that you could move the whole hanging basket to? If so I'm pretty sure mom and dad will find it.

My soul source for saying that is something I read on FB. It said if you find an unfeathered baby bird on the ground the best thing to do is put it in a small flower pot and place the pot in a tree, where mom and dad would find it. I don't know if that's good advice or not, but it sounds legit.

[MercyA]

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

Is it possible that the birds will hatch and fly away by next week? I think the nest was built last week.

No. Here's a good resource on what to expect with baby birds at different stages:

https://www.insidemynest.com/2022/03/20/hatchlings-nestlings-fledglings-how-to-tell-the-difference/

I love your care and concern for the babies. I think that if you move your plant to a nearby tree or bush, momma and dad should be able to find it. Like Pawz, I've read that if you find a nestling bird on the ground and can't find the nest, you can make a replacement by hanging a berry basket or a small container with drainage holes in a tree. That's mentioned here:

https://www.insidemynest.com/2022/03/19/should-i-put-a-baby-robin-back-in-the-nest-5-steps-to-take-if-you-find-a-bird-away-from-the-nest/

I don't know what I would do. How long will they be working on the roof?

My MIL just had a robin build a nest in the wreath on her front door, and even with people (carefully) coming and going through the door, all four babies grew up just fine and successfully launched. 

[Innisfree]

If you have any local wildlife rehabilitators, they could probably give advice on moving the basket. I can’t think of anything better than a nearby tree, but they might have helpful tips.

[Ann.without.an.e]

Get one of those shepherds hook things for hanging plants and put it right beside where the current basket is, on the ground but as close as possible. Then slowly move it a foot or two until it is safely out of reach. 

[Starr]

We put baby birds that fell in a bush or tree and the mama bird finds them. Sorry about the timing.

[MEmama]

Thanks for the great tips! It turns out the nest is empty 😞 I was so excited to see baby beaks peeking out! There aren't any eggshells in the nest so I'm not sure what to think. Given the location it's unlikely they were stolen by raccoons, though not impossible. I think another animal would have broken off branches of the fuchsia though. 

[Innisfree]

What a lovely, soft looking nest. If it was only built last week, perhaps no eggs have been laid yet?

[Ann.without.an.e]

I've never seen such a lovely nest. Could a snake have gotten them? That is what happens to most of our baby birds and eggs here 😞 

[Innisfree]

12 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

I've never seen such a lovely nest. Could a snake have gotten them? That is what happens to most of our baby birds and eggs here 😞 

I guess one could have. But I think usually birds only lay one egg a day, so completing the clutch of eggs might take a while, and they can’t have started long ago. This is from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

Quote

Ovulation and laying take about 24 hours, so female birds typically produce at most one egg per day.

https://nestwatch.org/learn/general-bird-nest-info/nesting-cycle/

Do you know what kind of birds built the nest? If you do, you could find out how many eggs they usually lay, and how likely it would be for their clutch to be finished already, after the nest just being built a week or so.

 If they just abandon the nest when it’s moved, I don’t suppose it matters; but they put a lot of effort into building it, so if they haven’t started laying yet, and the basket could be moved to a place they found acceptable, maybe they’d still use it. (???) 

I’m probably way too invested in this now. 😁 I love watching birds.

[MEmama]

46 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

I've never seen such a lovely nest. Could a snake have gotten them? That is what happens to most of our baby birds and eggs here 😞 

No snakes here, thank goodness!

I mean they technically exist in the state but not so much in my neighborhood and not crawling up the side of the house to the roof of the porch. I've never seen one anywhere near our yard--I think I would be too scared to go outside again!

[MEmama]

28 minutes ago, Innisfree said:

I guess one could have. But I think usually birds only lay one egg a day, so completing the clutch of eggs might take a while, and they can’t have started long ago. This is from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

https://nestwatch.org/learn/general-bird-nest-info/nesting-cycle/

Do you know what kind of birds built the nest? If you do, you could find out how many eggs they usually lay, and how likely it would be for their clutch to be finished already, after the nest just being built a week or so.

 If they just abandon the nest when it’s moved, I don’t suppose it matters; but they put a lot of effort into building it, so if they haven’t started laying yet, and the basket could be moved to a place they found acceptable, maybe they’d still use it. (???) 

I’m probably way too invested in this now. 😁 I love watching birds.

Me too! 
They were finches, but I forget which kind. Good idea to look up their habits!

[KidsHappen]

I believe that it is illegal in every state to move a bird's nest during nesting season. I know this because I just looked it up because a TN Barn Swallow just built a mud dubbed nest right above my dd's front door and it has a fit anytime someone goes in or out the door. We have been using the garage entrance instead. But she needs to decide what to do after nesting season because those birds use the same nest for years.

If you knew for sure what kind of bird built the nest you could determine if they build a new nest for every clutch and if so then maybe take a chance on moving it while it is between clutches. That is not a guarantee though. 

I have robins nest on my porch every summer. They supposedly build new nests for every clutch and robins have three clutches a year. But I know for a fact that the robins that nest on my porch use the same nest for at least two years in a row. I can tell because the last two nests had tape or ribbon that made the nest distinctive. This year they tore down the old one and built a new one in the same place. The robins are pretty mellow and don't much mind people coming and going. So I never mess with the nests.

If it absolutely has to be moved then I would contact your state bird wildlife person. I forget the name off the agency but one of the PP listed it above. They can advice you on what to do.

[MEmama]

57 minutes ago, KidsHappen said:

I believe that it is illegal in every state to move a bird's nest during nesting season. I know this because I just looked it up because a TN Barn Swallow just built a mud dubbed nest right above my dd's front door and it has a fit anytime someone goes in or out the door. We have been using the garage entrance instead. But she needs to decide what to do after nesting season because those birds use the same nest for years.

If you knew for sure what kind of bird built the nest you could determine if they build a new nest for every clutch and if so then maybe take a chance on moving it while it is between clutches. That is not a guarantee though. 

I have robins nest on my porch every summer. They supposedly build new nests for every clutch and robins have three clutches a year. But I know for a fact that the robins that nest on my porch use the same nest for at least two years in a row. I can tell because the last two nests had tape or ribbon that made the nest distinctive. This year they tore down the old one and built a new one in the same place. The robins are pretty mellow and don't much mind people coming and going. So I never mess with the nests.

If it absolutely has to be moved then I would contact your state bird wildlife person. I forget the name off the agency but one of the PP listed it above. They can advice you on what to do.

Good info, thanks!

I did have to move the plant but it's going back this morning. The roofer said he just worked a job with a nest in a nearby tree and that the mama bird was furious with him and his crew. He felt bad about making her fret. Hazards of outdoor work in the spring, I guess!