I bought Nancy a couple potted plants to hang on the front porch. They were ferns and they were about seventeen bucks each – much higher than we used to pay, but they worked. After a couple attempts at getting the screw hook imbedded in the porch roof and a mending of the wire that held the heavy plants, all was well.
Then, a couple weeks ago, it called for rain, so Nancy decided a little rainwater would help her plants. She took the plants down and put them on the front sidewalk, and they got a good dousing. The next morning when she went to hang the plants back up, she saw a nest with five little eggs in the bottom of the plant.
She was mortified.
“I ruined the nest,” she moaned. “They won’t come back.”
But they did. I’m sure Mama Finch was not at all happy about her nest being moved and left in the rain, but she was back on it the next day.
Birds are determined creatures, especially when it comes to nesting. Finches are very creative in their choice of nesting spots and the fern served its purpose, as would a mailbox or empty boot.
The five little finches have now fledged and are mooching sunflower hearts from the front feeder. Don’t know if the fern finches will have a second nest this year, but we do have an extra fern available.
