Thanks to Michael and all others who have responded on this nest posting.
Since we regularly see Bushtits and Kinglets, that solution seems
reasonable. There are also lots of Red-Winged Blackbirds which regularly
nest in the reeds along the lake bank.

I had thought about the possibility of debris, but the lake never
fluctuates more than a few inches and never rises even close to the level
of these nests. It is impossible to examine them really closely unless I
launch a boat and then stand up on the seat, something I don't feel like
doing at this moment. From several feet away, however, they appear
clearly to be "woven."

The three that I referred to as "clustered" are about 18-24 inches apart.
This morning I found similar nests in two large trees about 15 feet up.
Both trees are on the lake bank, but are not hanging out over the water.
I'm wondering if they could be nests from successive seasons?

When the nesting season starts, I'll have to become more observant.

Grant Hendrickson
ghendric at esd112.wednet.edu


On Wed, 11 Jan 1995, Michael Donahue wrote:

> If I could add my two cents worth to the speculation on the hanging nests...
>
> I've been an avid nest hunter since the early 1970s. What's curious
> about the original posting is that the nests are so close to the water,
> and that some occurred in clusters.
>
> Bushtits and orioles do build hanging nests, but not in groups, and not
> that close to the water level.
>
> Does the water level vary much in this lake? I know that when I started on
> my obsession with finding nests, I was often fooled by clumps of debris
> that got caught in willows and other streamside vegetation, during times
> of higher water. They looked like hanging nests.
>
> Mike Donahue
> mdonahue at u.washington.edu
>