mongrelove
New member
Yesterday I noticed that a blue jay had built a nest in an open mail box in my apartment complex (these are large boxes specifically for packages). I admired it and since the parents were not around I looked to see if there were any eggs, which there werent. Later that day, I noticed the door to the box was closed and of course when I opened my smaller mail box, they had put the key for the package box in there. I opened the package box and saw that the mail man had carelessly shoved the package in there and crushed the nest. It upset me because clearly the nest was closer to one side of the box and he could have at least TRIED to conserve it. I of course took my package out, fixed up the nest the best I could, and left the door open again.
I thought about it for a while, not knowing what I should do. I didnt know if I should continue to let the birds nest inside the box, knowing that the mail man will most likely continue to put boxes in there. I wasnt sure if the birds had already given up on the nest either since there were no eggs.
Earlier today I saw a blue jay go in and out of the box. I decided that I needed to move the nest because there is no way the mail man is going to leave a package out in the open and risk losing his job just because of a bird's nest. I was worried that if the bird had enough undisturbed time to lay eggs that the eggs would either be crushed by a package later on or that the mother would be separated from her nest and that her chicks would starve or get squashed.
I moved the nest into an open brown box that I put on top of the original nesting spot (about two or three feet above). An hour later I saw that it had been knocked over by the wind but I was in my car on my way out so I told my girlfriend to tape the box down and fix the nest, which she did. I also closed off the mail box so that she cant re-nest in there. So, in a nutshell, the nest has been relocated and touched by two different people multiple times.
I know you're never supposed to touch or move a bird's nest, but I figured that rebuilding the nest would be much less traumatic for the bird than losing her chicks later on.
I have a couple of questions:
1) Is there any possibility at all that the jay will nest in the new spot?
2) Is there a certain time frame in which a bird must complete her nest in order to lay her eggs? This nest seemed complete, will she have time to build a new nest? Will her cycle be disrupted?
3) Did I make the right decision by moving it?
Thanks!
-Jay (ironic, isnt it?)
I thought about it for a while, not knowing what I should do. I didnt know if I should continue to let the birds nest inside the box, knowing that the mail man will most likely continue to put boxes in there. I wasnt sure if the birds had already given up on the nest either since there were no eggs.
Earlier today I saw a blue jay go in and out of the box. I decided that I needed to move the nest because there is no way the mail man is going to leave a package out in the open and risk losing his job just because of a bird's nest. I was worried that if the bird had enough undisturbed time to lay eggs that the eggs would either be crushed by a package later on or that the mother would be separated from her nest and that her chicks would starve or get squashed.
I moved the nest into an open brown box that I put on top of the original nesting spot (about two or three feet above). An hour later I saw that it had been knocked over by the wind but I was in my car on my way out so I told my girlfriend to tape the box down and fix the nest, which she did. I also closed off the mail box so that she cant re-nest in there. So, in a nutshell, the nest has been relocated and touched by two different people multiple times.
I know you're never supposed to touch or move a bird's nest, but I figured that rebuilding the nest would be much less traumatic for the bird than losing her chicks later on.
I have a couple of questions:
1) Is there any possibility at all that the jay will nest in the new spot?
2) Is there a certain time frame in which a bird must complete her nest in order to lay her eggs? This nest seemed complete, will she have time to build a new nest? Will her cycle be disrupted?
3) Did I make the right decision by moving it?
Thanks!
-Jay (ironic, isnt it?)
It turns out it wasnt a Jay nest at all, it was a wren. I had a feeling the Blue Jay was just hanging around, because it didnt seem to look like other Jay nests I've seen. The wren HAS returned to the relocated nest and there are currently four eggs. 
