Robins nesting in my hanging basket

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Author Message   boxgrove Citizen Username: Boxgrove Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 12:45 pm:        I have a nest in my hanging basket. Thursday I noticed the construction, today I noticed the bird, a Robin. As the hanging basket is on my front porch at head height, there is a lot of close traffic. The bird flies away every time people approach the porch. I thought I'd better move basket, but today I see there are eggs. I would like to make sure the eggs become chicks, but is it too late? The Robin is back, for now, but I can only minimise the traffic coming through the front door. Maybe one or two visitors a day, is that good enough, what happens when the chicks hatch, as they cannot fly away. If I move the basket, closeby will it be found. The basket is on the front porch, head height, and only a foot away from the door. Any suggestions from people with history of Robins in a daft place. Thanks   jasper Citizen Username: Jasper Post Number: 392 Registered: 7-2001 Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 1:22 pm:        Last spring we had a robin's nest in a low branch of a tree close to the sidewalk at the front of our house. I had similar concerns, but every time we passed by, the robins would fly to a nearby lookout and just wait for us to leave. Then when the coast was clear, they would go about their business. They hatched about 3 babies and we were able to watch them as the parents brought food. Then one day, they were gone - flown the nest - and that was that. This year, no nest.   finnegan Supporter Username: Finnegan Post Number: 341 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 2:51 pm:        We had a nest of house finches in a hanging basket on the front porch one year. The finches were pretty tolerant of us looking at the nest, and even looking at the babies after the eggs hatched. I would take the hanging basket down so that the kids could look into it, then quickly replace it. Parent-birds didn't seem to mind. Both hatchlings grew quickly and one day they all flew away. I have to say this was a better outcome than the year before when I left a Christmas wreath up all winter on the front door. By late March, house finches built a nest in the wreath. The top half of the front door is a window and it drove the cats nuts to see and hear the birds on the other side. Then eggs appeared. We opened and closed the door VERY GENTLY, but one early April wind storm blew the eggs out of the nest, sadly. My kids were disappointed, and the cats even more so when the parent birds flew off, and I learned to take down my Christmas wreath more promptly.   Zoesky1 Citizen Username: Zoesky1 Post Number: 1461 Registered: 6-2003 Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 1:43 pm:        I can top that: my parents tell me that some sparrows have built a nest in my mom's bike helmet, which they leave hanging in the garage. They've been leaving the garage door open most of the time this spring while they're home (and since they are retired, that's most of the time), so the birds apparently found the helmet and liked it. My parents have decided to not disturb the nest, but they do still close the garage door at night. In the morning, my father opens the door and the sparrows go racing out. Then they come back to roost at night. It's really funny.   mjc Citizen Username: Mjc Post Number: 1100 Registered: 10-2004 Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 5:02 pm:        Can't resist adding: A hummingbird built her nest in the S-hook that holds up my sister's front porch swing. Cutest thing in the world. There was a wonderful view of nest, mom and babies through the front windows, but of course, no one could use the swing till the baby birds were gone. Also, mama hummer was aggressively protective. If anyone started toward that end of the porch she would zoom right at their head. She pinned people who came to the door a few times, wouldn't go away till they went inside. The good part was that someone told my sister the hummingbird nesting there was good luck, which was needed in that house that year since my nephew was very ill with cancer. I guess it may be true, because that was 20+ years ago, and he's fine. Maybe you could use the back door for a few weeks? In any case, enjoy!