We have really enjoyed watching the birds building their nests this year. We have a family of crows who live in the tree in our back yard.
Apart from the terrible squarking they make in the early mornings, we love them. They are particularly fun to watch when they are building their nests as they choose big sticks to build with, sometimes even longer than themselves. And, they are funny because they bicker and fight and often make each other drop their sticks and then try to find them again.
We have had many a laugh watching them this spring.With our garden birds in mind, we have a tradition of helping them make their nests as comfy as possible.
In years past, we have decorated branches with wool roving for the birds to use as nesting material. But this year, we decided to do something different and made them a yarn ball instead.
We fashioned a bit of wire into a ball to hold the yarn. The birds have been helping themselves all week and we are delighting in the visions of their eggs, nestled comfortably in their colorful yarn nests.
To make our yarn balls, we needed nice bendable wire, wire cutters, a ball and bits of yarn.
We cut a long length of wire and wrapped it around the ball to get a round shape, twisting it around itself at the join.
Then we extracted the ball and used the dimensions we already had to make our yarn holder.
When we were finished it looked like a wire pumpkin! We added a little hook for hanging.
Then we cut our yarn into different lengths for the birds.
Stuffed the yarn into our handmade yarn holder.
And hung it in the tree for the birds.
Oh, what pretty nests they’ll have.
Be sure not to miss out on our Fairy Garden Series and Contest.
Blessings and magic,
Donni
8 Responses
such a fun thing to do for the birds! we are obsessing over bird-watching at our house right now. this would be a great addition.
Just found your blog. Love this creative idea.
How cute! These remind me of when I was a little girl and we found a bird’s nest with a ribbon that must have fallen out of my hair. Can’t wait to try this with my daughter!
Oh, this reminds me of hearing a Native American woman speak at my church. She said her grandmother taught her to decorate the trees and bushes in their yards with hair from their hairbrushes each spring. Then they would find bird nests made out of hair. I forget what kind of bird now, but it was one type that would often use it.
these are so lovely! we made these a couple years ago in the same way, and love them! still making them as gifts for friends. see ours here: http://paintcutpaste.com/nest-zest/
We made one too!
http://littlehomeschoolblessings.blogspot.com/2012/05/for-birds.html
loving these ideas for my daughter’s upcoming enchanted garden birthday party.
When spring comes in Africa I’m going to hang one in the Oak for the miniature Paradise Flycatcher that returns every year.