I enjoy finding birds’ nests.
I have mentioned before how I love listening to the birds in the morning. I also love finding birds’ nests long abandoned. I start looking for nests late September after the season’s hatchings have finished. Once October and the leaf dropping has begun, the nests are even easier to see.
Spying Birds’ Nests
This summer I spied a very nice nest in our Linden tree. I was mowing the lawn and as I passed under I looked up and saw a nice American Robin nest. So I decided that on my next pass, I would strategically park the riding lawnmower underneath the limb so I could stand on the front engine area of the lawnmower and get a look-see.
Carefully I pulled underneath the tree, making sure I was nicely under the nest, enough so that I could climb from the seat of the mower to the top of the hood of the mower. Mustering all my balancing abilities I slowly stood up on the seat. Nope, this was not a sturdy foundation. My feet wobbled on the spongey cushion. Re-thinking my choice for using the seat, I quickly decided to move from the seat to the hood. Phew! Made it.
I spy with my little eye 
Now that I was directly under the branch I reached up to slowly and grabbed the branch. The branch gently flexed as I stood on tiptoes and peered in. RATS! No babies, but I was admiring how smooth the inside was. The mud placed “just so” with long grasses intertwined. Robin nests are deep, cupped almost perfectly and enough for a clutch of four beautiful blue robin eggs.
After my thoughtful inspection, it was time to get back to reality. The lawnmower, still purring away, suggested I had better descend. I am sure it was a sight to see from HWY 9. A Linden tree with two legs hanging down from the front branches, a lawnmower located underneath. This situation had all the makings for an Edgerton Ambulance call.
I carefully let the branch back up and slowly got down before I fell and the Edgerton Ambulance had to be called. I chuckled as I settled back into the lawnmower seat. Wouldn’t that be something, making the Edgerton Enterprise twice in one week? Once for my article and the second in the Sheriffs report. Bah ha ha ha… I will stick to once with my article thank you!
The Test of Wind
Southwest Minnesota is almost always windy. There are very few days without some substance of wind. If you were around the weekend of July 20th, Edgerton got some serious storms with a northerly wind. My AcuRite weather station had peak winds at 44mph. Only 20 mph short of the last Minnesota blizzard’s wind.
After the rain and winds finally subsided Brad and I took a walk around the yard to check on the damage done to the trees. Most of what tree limbs fell were blizzard leftovers, stubbornly clinging to their fellow branches as if to say “You can’t make me”. But the Minnesota wind said, “Yes I can!” And, down they came.
In addition to the limbs, I saw a nest lying on the ground. Shoot! I was hoping it wasn’t the nest I discovered a few weeks back. Last time I checked, it had three baby robins occupying it. Three cute birdie beaks pointed skyward.
Reluctantly I walked over to the nest and tipped it upright. To my surprise, it was not the nest I spied on weeks before. Walking quickly over to the Linden tree, there in the tree was the robin nest still intact. But not a little bird to be found. Sigh.
The feathered nest
I can tell my aging has softened my heart. Human life is precious and I know God uses nature to remind us again and again how big of a God he really is. How intricately all living things were made. They are precious to him and he cares for them as well as He cares for us.
It made me appreciate my nest. The place I call home. The people who I share it with.
Michele Bruxvoort is sure to draw you in with her delightful sense of humor and love for living life. She enjoys reading, repurposing, as well as remodeling the family home with her husband. Drawing from her life experience as wife, mom, and follower of Jesus, Michele brings you a very honest and real perspective on life. When you don’t find her writing, you can find her mowing lawns, stocking shelves, taking care of her grandbaby and tackling her latest life adventure.
Wisconsin native and empty-nester, she now makes her home with her husband of 27 years in the South West Prairie plains of Minnesota.