What a difference a week makes--okay, two (by Kat)

Two weeks ago, while out and about downloading data loggers, I came upon this nest of eggs inside a large metal box alongside a local stream.


Since soooooo many swallows hang out in this area, I figured I was looking at swallow eggs.
Anyone familiar with my inability to correctly identify even the easiest of the adult birds living around here will now start to laugh. Adults are hard enough, so what was I thinking, trying to identify a pile of sweet little eggs.

Judging by the clamoring of the red-winged blackbirds today when I revisited the same spot, I'm guessing we have a nest of those guys here. Just a guess--feel free to laugh your heads off.

Done?
Okay then.

After switching out the battery and resetting the logger after downloading the data, I was just about to close the box back up when one of the little feather folk decided to make a break for it.


He flopped himself out of the box, down the embankment, and almost landed himself in the stream. It took a few tense moments before we found him, buried in the tall grass, hunkering down as invisibly as he could.

I got him back into the box, but he refused to stay in the nest.


Hopefully, one of the parents entered soon after we left and told him to straighten up!

A fine how-de-doo! (by Kat)

"No" said the birds.
"No, you may not use your box for monitoring equipment."

The sparrows dove and screeched in the air above.

"No! The box is ours and we'll do with it what we want!"
We unhooked both your loggers from your battery!
We've incorporated your wires into our nest!"

Okay, possession is 9/10ths of the law.

"I'll be back in two weeks" I said.
"And I'm downloading my data!"