I was just returned from a visit to the San Luis NWR complex in the San
Jouquin Valley and was curious about hanging nests I saw there. These
were the shape of an extended tear drop maybe 10 to 12 inches in length.
They were the color of dried straw and were hanging in willows or the
like. Any ideas?

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* Everyone sits in the prison of his own ideas. *
* -ALBERT EINSTEIN *
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John Henly
Everett High School
ferrett12 at u.washington.edu
jhenly at cks.ssd.k12.wa.us

On Tue, 10 Jan 1995, Dennis Paulson wrote:

> >As a beginner (60+ male, semi-retired), I'm fascinated by the wealth of
> >knowledge I read here every day. I've spent a lifetime in the
> >out-of-doors, but birds were just birds accompanying my study of aquatic
> >insects and trout.
> >
> >With the leaves gone from our trees, I am discovering a number of nests
> >which make me wonder what builds them. Of particular interest are several
> >which are hanging several feet above the water in Lake Sacajawea here in
> >Longview. They appear to be woven, are about 4-5 inches long and about
> >three inches across the top. In one tree there are three nests clustered
> >closely together. In another tree, only one. Since they are hanging out
> >over the water, it is impossible to get a really close look.
> >
> >Can someone suggest what builds this type of nest?
> >
> >Grant Hendrickson
> >ghendric at esd112.wedned.edu
>
> They could be (Bullock's) Northern Oriole nests. They are typically
> whitish, although I'm not sure what material they use produces that color.
> They are often in cottonwoods or willows. Are they attached just around
> the opening of the nest?
>
> Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
> Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
> University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
> Tacoma, WA 98416
>
>
>