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TomatoNut95
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Worried about my Cardinals!!

There is a sweet pair of Cardinals that are building a nest in this Crape Myrtle. I think it's very cute, but I'm worried. This tree's not exactly the sturdiest or protective tree in the yard. There is lots of rain and storms predicted next week, if the Cardinals lay eggs I'm afraid they'll blow away! Should I discourage them from building there, or do you think they'll be okay there?
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HoneyBerry
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I would leave them alone.
There might not be enough time for them to build another nest.
They might have a hard time finding another nesting spot due to limited habitat.
I understand how you feel. I was that way when Juncos built their nest on the ground in a grassy area. They seemed so vulnerable. I wanted to protect them.

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Gary350
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If you want to attract Cardinals plant an ever green tree. Audubon society says, Nest: Usually well hidden in dense shrubs, vines, or low trees, placed 3-10' above ground, sometimes higher. Nest (built by female) is open cup made of twigs, weeds, grass, bark strips, leaves, rootlets, lined with fine grass or hair.

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TomatoNut95
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I'm really leaning towards more to discouraging them, more issues I didn't think about earler: the junk Mrytle is right along the front porch. When it storms, sometimes when the wind blows from the Norhwesst and the front porch gets it pretty hard. Plus, the nest is too easily reachable by the wild cat that has visited my house to hunt the stupid mice. Plus the skunk that comes around on occasion to spray the yard and stink up the house. I don't want to find Cardinal parts or feathers laying out there, that would be too sad. Oh don't worry about them having limited habitat. I live in the sticks, they have TONS of trees and bushes to choose from, many probably much safer than this Crape Myrtle.

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TomatoNut95
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Gary350 wrote:
Wed May 20, 2020 8:45 pm
If you want to attract Cardinals plant an ever green tree. Audubon society says, Nest: Usually well hidden in dense shrubs, vines, or low trees, placed 3-10' above ground, sometimes higher. Nest (built by female) is open cup made of twigs, weeds, grass, bark strips, leaves, rootlets, lined with fine grass or hair.
No need to attract Cardinals, they are quite abundant out here anyway. :wink: But this is the first time they've built this close to the house. The tree they are nesting in is not tall enough, the nest is too reachable by the wild cat and rats. Plus the nest is in too much danger from the Northwest storm winds.

HoneyBerry
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Here is some info that I found on an Audubon page:

Do not move the nest. Contact a qualified biologist or
 the Department of Fish & Wildlife to find out how to protect the nest. Ideally the nest should be left undisturbed until the young have left on their own. The DFW may be able to give you an estimate of how long until eggs hatch and nestlings leave.
Parent birds choose a nest location for specific reasons such as proximity to food and water, and protection from predators and the elements. If the nest is disturbed, parents may abandon it along with their eggs or young. Local, state and federal laws prohibit taking, destroying or damaging nests. Moving a nest requires special permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is usually only granted for human health and safety reasons.

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TomatoNut95
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To protect the nest, I'd have to put a screen around it. (The nest is not even finished, there are no eggs in it yet) The nest is low enough that is too reachble by the wild cat, the crummy skunk, and plus there are tons of mice and rats that live around my house that would happily eat the eggs or baby birds. Snakes I can watch for, but everything else prowls at night. I would be very heartbroken to find eaten on baby birds the next morning. There are tons of safer trees around my yard they could've chosen that the cat, rats and skunk couldn't reach them.

HoneyBerry
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I have a friend who works in Natural Resources in my state. I will ask him for advice on this, but he is unavailable until next week.
It seems like the birds will not be better off if you disturb the nest. They are better off if you leave the nest alone, even with the hazards that you described. The timing of the nest is important. If you disturb the nest now, the eggs will come but there will be no nest for the eggs. The birds will be distressed and the baby birds will most likely die.

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TomatoNut95
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Actually, I'm beginning to wonder if they've already abandoned the unfinished nest. I have not touched it or anything, but I noticed the birds have not been in the tree at all today. I'll keep watching but I have not seen them sitting and peeping up in the tree like they have been the past couple of days.

HoneyBerry
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I called my friend and left a message. I think he is staying at his cabin property this week.
I'm not sure if he is checking his messages or not.

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TomatoNut95
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The Cardinals have already abandoned the unfinished nest. I have not seen them working on it, nor sitting in the tree since Wednesday. Maybe it has something to do with the snake skin that was laying at the base of the tree......

HoneyBerry
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Probably the birds are fine.

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TomatoNut95
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I'm hoping they chose somewhere else to build.

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TomatoNut95
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Well, the Cardinals came back and now there are eggs in the nest. It's very cute, so now, whatever happens, happens, but I'm sure the eggs or babies will either get blown away, abandoned or eaten.

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Gary350
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TomatoNut95 wrote:
Tue May 26, 2020 3:23 pm
Well, the Cardinals came back and now there are eggs in the nest. It's very cute, so now, whatever happens, happens, but I'm sure the eggs or babies will either get blown away, abandoned or eaten.
It will be very nice to watch baby birds grow up and leave the nest. You might even see them learning to fly. That would be nice. Put a net a few feet under the nest on 4 poles if they fall out early they won't fall far. Maybe pull 4 strings between 4 trees to hold a net under the nest. Bath towel will make a good net.

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TomatoNut95
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Yes, but not if the skunk, wild cat, rat or snake gets to them first. 🙁

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TomatoNut95
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Momma Cardinal wasn't home, so using my phone and holding it above the nest I snapped this blurry photo of three speckled eggs. :D
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