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CunningOne
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Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
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Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
My DH went nuts this year on getting HUGE hanging flower baskets for our yard. They really are pretty and we have one near our window over the back deck. I went out to water it the other day and nearly died from being ambushed by 2 birds flying out of it as I poured in the water. Sure enough, they build a nest in my hanging flower pot!
I tried to pick most of it out, but 2 hours later, I see out my window they are back and building their nest again!
What can I do?? Anything safe for my flowers that will keep birds from going in there to nest??
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Posted 5/21/11 7:42 PM  |
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CunningOne
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Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
No one?
Well, DH told me today he saw birds eggs in there, so for now, we are just leaving it alone..... Trouble is, i haven't seen the birds in it lately since I took it off its hanging post and put it on the table to assess the situation. I feel so bad now. 
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| Posted 5/22/11 1:07 PM |
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Charly
LOVE!
Member since 5/05 12578 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
we had a birds nest in our window box last spring. I didn't see the momma much, but she would come and go mostly at night. Once the babies hatched they only stayed a week or 2 and then they all took off and we cleaned out the nest.
eta maybe put it back where it was and give it a few weeks.
Message edited 5/22/2011 3:49:43 PM.
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| Posted 5/22/11 3:49 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
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greenfreak
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
I read your post but didn't respond because I encourage most bird nests.  They might be Mourning Doves - they tend to do silly things like choosing potted plants as nesting spots.
I heard some funny sounds from the nest in our Holly tree this morning and when I peeked, I think saw our Blue Jay couple feeding their babies.  Although they have a terrible reputation for attacking people close to their nest, they stared right at me, and have left us and our dogs alone.
Eta - I'd put it back where it was. I don't know that all birds stay at the nest all the time.
Message edited 5/22/2011 9:55:40 PM.
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| Posted 5/22/11 9:54 PM |
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Sunny10
LIF Adult
Member since 10/10 1287 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
You should never touch and leave the nest alone, as once a person starts playing with nest, the birds abandon the nest. I love having a bird nest close by. We have one in a shrub as we speak and I enjoy having a view of it.
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| Posted 5/23/11 7:55 AM |
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ThePinkGoose
In Your Hands
Member since 8/08 4706 total posts
Name:
Nunya
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
I love birds nests and birds/wildlife so no advice for you. DH actually bought a bird house type thing and hung it on the tree for them to nest in
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| Posted 5/23/11 8:15 AM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
I am in the minority and say get rid of it! Birds carry bird mites and some are parasitic and you will never get rid of them if they get on you. We had a nest in our A/C and I thought how cute, until the mites came in! IT WAS AWFUL! I am so thankful they were not parasitic. It's not a risk i am ever going to take. No nests near the house!
On a side note, I just read in a book that touching a bird's nest doesn't cause abandonment, actually most birds have poor smell and won't be able to sense that a human has been there.
Source: Don't Touch That Toad: and other strange things adults tell you by Catherine Rondina
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| Posted 5/23/11 8:26 AM |
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Diane
Hope is Contagious....catch it
Member since 5/05 30683 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
Posted by Sunny10
You should never touch and leave the nest alone, as once a person starts playing with nest, the birds abandon the nest. I love having a bird nest close by. We have one in a shrub as we speak and I enjoy having a view of it.
same here. We have one in one of our Japanese Maple Trees. The momma bird has been sitting in it for over a week now, and I LOVE watching her, and just waiting.
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| Posted 5/23/11 9:42 AM |
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CunningOne
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Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
I hope no one thinks I am a mean bird-hater, it's just that this flower pot is hanging just outside my kitchen window, on my back deck where we are all summer long, and where my kids play every day. I think it was a little fear of the unknown, what might happen because I honestly don't know too much about bird nests. It hangs on a chain off the roof eve, so it's about 6 feet off the deck. I need a stool to stand on if I want to be high enough to see into the plant.
Anyway, I am happy to say that we left everything as is, hung the plant back up, and as I sit at my table and look out the window, the bird comes and goes all day long.
I just don't want one of my kids dive-bombed by the bird if they are on the deck.
Message edited 5/23/2011 2:16:32 PM.
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| Posted 5/23/11 2:14 PM |
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have2hide
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/11 555 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
We have 3 bird's nests right now. 2 of them I don't mind & 1 I definitely do mind.
2 are Robin's nests in our bushes & those have been fine & I actually enjoy watching. The birds come and go taking care of the eggs & babies. 1 of them, the babies have already left the nest after just 2-3 weeks. The other, the babies are almost ready to leave. I've gone right up to the nest to peek with the mother watching me (I never touched) and they never came near me, just chirped at me from like 20 feet away.
the 1 I do mind is a black bird's nest & it's either in my gutter right above my 2nd floor bedroom, or in the soffit up there. The bird comes and goes every 2 minutes as of 6:00 am and it drives me NUTS. We can hear the babies, so we are leaving them alone until they leave the nest.. then we are removing. I can't WAIT until they leave. A little too close to my personal space. I hear every movement & every chirp loud & clear, which is not fun when trying to sleep. I'm hoping they just are in the gutter & that no mites got in 
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| Posted 5/23/11 2:36 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
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greenfreak
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
Posted by have2hide
the 1 I do mind is a black bird's nest & it's either in my gutter right above my 2nd floor bedroom, or in the soffit up there
Does it look like this?
If so, that's a European Starling and very much a nuisance bird. They are imports and thus, not protected by law like Robins. They are aggressive and kill the babies of other birds. I had a nest in the dryer hose of an apartment we rented and I kept taking it out. I finally had to bend wire hangers and put them in the hole for them to stop.
If I see a House Sparrow or European Starling nest being built, I will discourage them. Because they are equally dangerous to our native birds that are in decline like the Eastern Bluebird.
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| Posted 5/23/11 3:44 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
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greenfreak
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
Posted by chmlengr
Anyway, I am happy to say that we left everything as is, hung the plant back up, and as I sit at my table and look out the window, the bird comes and goes all day long.
What does it look like? I can probably help you ID it so you can learn more about it.
Based on the location alone, my guess is Mourning Dove:
Message edited 5/23/2011 3:48:07 PM.
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| Posted 5/23/11 3:47 PM |
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have2hide
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/11 555 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
Posted by greenfreak
Posted by have2hide
the 1 I do mind is a black bird's nest & it's either in my gutter right above my 2nd floor bedroom, or in the soffit up there
Does it look like this?
If so, that's a European Starling and very much a nuisance bird. They are imports and thus, not protected by law like Robins. They are aggressive and kill the babies of other birds. I had a nest in the dryer hose of an apartment we rented and I kept taking it out. I finally had to bend wire hangers and put them in the hole for them to stop.
If I see a House Sparrow or European Starling nest being built, I will discourage them. Because they are equally dangerous to our native birds that are in decline like the Eastern Bluebird.
Hmm.. I'll have to take a closer look later, could be that kind of bird! Just looked black to me as it quickly flies back and forth to my roof. They kill other baby birds??  Now I hate that bird even more! It seems to be up there longer than the other nest of babies that has already come & gone.. I hope they leave soon so I can get rid of the nest!
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| Posted 5/23/11 3:56 PM |
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CunningOne
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Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
Definitely NOT a mourning dove! They are so fast, I haven't been able to get a real look. They are definitely black. Not super small, but not that big either. When I moved the pot to the table the other day, I could hear the bird in a tree really having a squawk! It was loud and obviously upset.  Next time I see the bird hopping around on the deck, I'll snap a picture, but it will probably be through the window glass!
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| Posted 5/23/11 5:54 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
Another common 'black' bird is the Grackle
Best way to identify them is their yellow eyes. These guys mob my bird feeder and chase all the other birds away.
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| Posted 5/23/11 8:54 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
Posted by have2hide
It seems to be up there longer than the other nest of babies that has already come & gone.. I hope they leave soon so I can get rid of the nest!
If they're Starlings, they will try to raise more than one clutch of eggs, so when you see the babies outside, I'd take it down and plug up the hole.
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| Posted 5/23/11 8:57 PM |
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MrsM-6-7-08
<3
Member since 8/06 4249 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Getting rid of a bird's nest / preventing ????
We have a few nests right now, and haven't opened up our yard yet, but there is tons and tons of bird poop all over the siding of the house and our deck.
its really gross you can't walk barefoot outside in your own back yard and then u gotta worry about tracking it into the house
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| Posted 5/24/11 1:43 PM |
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