Yesterday, I watered my hanging baskets, and, for the second time, scared up an Oregon junco, who flew up into the nearby firs and scolded me.
“How dare you pour water on me?” she chipped.
Today, I had a closer look. Yes, the junco flew out for the third time that I have disturbed her. But when I parted the flowers and looked into the base of the pot, I felt just sick to think I had been pouring water on a little junco nest of five eggs.
I felt terrible to think of what I had put her through, and that I might have hurt her eggs. I thought nesting time was over!
And now, I’m wondering how I can save my hanging basket if I don’t water it.
*****
P.S. The Smashwords sale begins today with my e-books being 50% off.
Go to the smashwords link https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/ and type in my book titles in the search box at the top of the page. You can find the titles on the sidebars of all my posts.
Sale is on for the month of July.



July 1, 2024 at 8:48 am
Oh no! Just try to water it very carefully and not where the nest is. I had a nest in a geranium pot and watered it carefully and all went well. Good luck!
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July 1, 2024 at 9:14 am
Yes, I’ll try that. Poor little thing!
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July 1, 2024 at 9:05 am
What a fun discovery after a little scolding!
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July 1, 2024 at 9:15 am
Well, it’s going to be interesting to see if any of these eggs hatch after I’ve made it so difficult for them.
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July 1, 2024 at 9:21 am
I agree with Ursula. Just very carefully watering should look after the plants without disturbing the nest. Many bird species will do two nests in a season. I’ve been watching a robin in a neighbour’s yard. I can’t see the nest but she definitely has very little ones.
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July 1, 2024 at 9:29 am
I’m going to try that, very carefully. I hate to disturb her now that I know she has a nest there. Also, I’ve learned not to be so quick to say nesting time is over. Live and learn.
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July 1, 2024 at 9:53 am
Oh that is sad. Great that you found out, before you started dowsing the young chicks. Happy Canada Day Anneli. Allan
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July 1, 2024 at 10:32 am
I hope they will hatch out okay.
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July 1, 2024 at 10:05 am
Aw how cute! you’ll have to be very careful watering the plant until the big day comes, Anneli. ❤️😊
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July 1, 2024 at 10:33 am
Yes, I hope I won’t disturb the mother too much so she gives up and doesn’t come back.
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July 1, 2024 at 10:41 am
Me too! 🙏🏻😊
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July 1, 2024 at 11:25 am
Oh nature is fun! You never know what you’re going to find. Gotta image a little bit of water will be fine. Just one little bird mad that you made her leave. Ha ha
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July 1, 2024 at 5:37 pm
I’ll have to water carefully and try not to scare her too much.
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July 1, 2024 at 11:26 am
Too bad she picked there to nest 😏. I hope all goes well.
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July 1, 2024 at 5:36 pm
Yes, I hope so too.
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July 1, 2024 at 2:23 pm
I just commented on your poem about this bird. As you may have already read, this happened to me. That plant didn’t make it. I haven’t hung any plants there since.
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July 1, 2024 at 2:24 pm
“hanged?” Which is correct “miss English teacher?”
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July 1, 2024 at 5:36 pm
Hung is correct. Hanged is for the hangman.
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July 1, 2024 at 5:53 pm
🙂👍
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July 1, 2024 at 2:55 pm
Oh, Anneli, it’s so fortunate that you decided to part the flowers and what a marvelously lovely place the junco chose to nest her eggs. ❤
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July 1, 2024 at 5:35 pm
Now the challenge is to keep both alive – flowers and baby birds.
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July 2, 2024 at 4:38 am
Oh, I think you’ll be able to manage. It’s really a beautiful birth environment. I hope you get to see the baby birds.
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July 2, 2024 at 7:44 am
I hope so too. So far the mother has come back after I’ve scared her off her nest. I hope she puts up with that when I absolutely have to water the plant … a little bit at least.
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July 2, 2024 at 12:45 am
Oh no, the junco does look most perturbed and indignant – and no wonder! What a find in your hanging basket and I’m sure the eggs are fine and with tender watering of the plant both will flourish!
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July 2, 2024 at 7:46 am
I hope you’re right, Annika.
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July 2, 2024 at 1:53 am
Der Anneli
I agree with Annika. Tender watering is the answer.
The nest looks great.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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July 2, 2024 at 7:46 am
Yes, I won’t be dumping a water jug on the nest anymore. Those poor little eggs.
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July 2, 2024 at 3:58 am
I think you can find spots around the basket to water.
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July 2, 2024 at 7:45 am
That’s what I’ll do. Thanks, Jennie.
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July 2, 2024 at 6:15 pm
Perfect!
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July 3, 2024 at 7:23 am
Things will get harder when the babies hatch, but I’m guessing they will grow really fast and be gone before you know it. You’re so lucky to get to watch the little family grow!
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July 3, 2024 at 7:54 am
I hope that will be the case.
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July 3, 2024 at 2:48 pm
What a wonderful surprise!
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July 5, 2024 at 7:45 am
Oh no. Poor little Junco mama. Nest get rained on, so hopefully the eggs are okay. Some careful watering seems in order. Let us know when the birds hatch. That will be a day to celebrate. 🙂
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July 6, 2024 at 7:21 pm
How exciting to find 5 junco eggs in a nest, Anneli! Best wishes to see the babies.
We have many dark-eyed juncos in our yard. One mama laid four eggs under my bags of bark chips and some wood scraps next to them. When my son-in-law assembled the raised garden beds for me, I asked him to remove the scraps. He discovered the nest. He carefully stagged the bags so the Mama Junco could fly in and out but not to expose the nest because it was close to the ground. The following few days, squirrels and cats were busy in that area. Mama Junco gave up when there was only one egg left.
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July 6, 2024 at 8:33 pm
Oh, that’s too bad. Nice of you and son-in-law to try, but it’s really high risk to next on the ground.
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July 6, 2024 at 9:41 pm
They like to build their nests in the roots of fallen trees or among the scraps, in our case. We have an active squirrel family here.
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July 7, 2024 at 9:21 am
Same here with the squirrels, but this year, I think there was only one baby – maybe two and one went elsewhere – not sure.
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