Tweets--

..got a small problem. Actually, it's green with a little white eye ring
and it thinks it's a good idea to build a nest on my deck, on top of a
roof drain elbow..I noticed the Pacific Slope yesterday for the first time
so I watched it and thought it was feeding young. However, I snooped the
nest this am and no young, no eggs..the nest is nearly complete with the cup
being lined with lichen..it is, however, perched a little weird and I
notices she was *scootching* around in it this am trying to get comfortable
with the notion of how it is perched..my guess is this must be her second
clutch..now for the problem..

I'm fearful that the activity necessary to undertake this month, vis-a-vis
power-washing, scraping and re-oilstaining decks are not going to be to
her liking very much. The nest is about 8 feet off the deck and it's in
a busy area..i.e., I drag a hose by there each morning to water the
garden off the end of the deck. This nest must have been built very quickly
(obviously... since a sharp eyed birder couldn't possibly have missed it
unless it happened overnight..sigh-h-h-hhh...)

So here's the dilemma..

Do I move the nest before she lays the eggs? Will that put an end to her
attempt at a second clutch? Do I just let her do her thing and keep on
working on my projects figuring that she'll just have to cope?

Note: I've had one of these flycatchers almost every year. Last year the
nest was down under the deck..one year it was in the carport (before it
got turned into a garage)..

What to do? sigh-h-hhhh..

Tom

(wringing his hands and twisting his hanky)


Tom Foote footet at elwha.evergreen.edu
Lab II
The Evergreen State College (360) 866-6000 x6118
Olympia, WA 98505