Ack!! Help!! 2009

[delalluvia]

I had been wondering why my Kabuki, my normally strictly indoor cat, had been quite adventurous in the last week, wanting to go out onto my balcony the minute I got home.  I figured she had just gotten chilled in the a/c air inside and enjoyed laying in the sun for hours.

Well, today, I dragged the cats in off the balcony and went to water my plants.  Up high, out of reach, in my flowering hanging basket sat a dove.

The dove wouldn't move.  Just stared at me.

I'm too short to see in the basket, but I'm thinking that the bird is not sick, but that she's sitting on a nest.

In my plant.

A plant that desperately needs to be watered.

After my discovery, I left, and just now at sunset have come home to look again, hoping she'd left to feed.

Nope, still sitting there, staring at me.

How am I going to water my plant without frightening the bird off her nest?!?!?

[David In Indy]

I had been wondering why my Kabuki, my normally strictly indoor cat, had been quite adventurous in the last week, wanting to go out onto my balcony the minute I got home.  I figured she had just gotten chilled in the a/c air inside and enjoyed laying in the sun for hours.

Well, today, I dragged the cats in off the balcony and went to water my plants.  Up high, out of reach, in my flowering hanging basket sat a dove.

The dove wouldn't move.  Just stared at me.

I'm too short to see in the basket, but I'm thinking that the bird is not sick, but that she's sitting on a nest.

In my plant.

A plant that desperately needs to be watered.

After my discovery, I left, and just now at sunset have come home to look again, hoping she'd left to feed.

Nope, still sitting there, staring at me.

How am I going to water my plant without frightening the bird off her nest?!?!?

Can you try to catch her and relocate her somewhere else? If you put some gloves on, you won't feel it if she pecks you. Or maybe you could call the animal rescue to come do it for you? You have to keep your plant alive, and it sounds like the dove picked a poor place to roost. She would probably be much happier if her nest was up in a tree or someplace safe.

[David In Indy]

Ooops! I got that red message indicating someone else posted while I was posting. It was YOU Susie!   

I suggest you call your local animal rescue, or even a vet and ask them what they think you should do. That poor bird! She can't possibly be happy laying her eggs on top of a plant.

[Ellemeno]

I'm with Susie - birds, especially incipient baby birds, trump plant. 

[Shasta542]

Here she is ...

What a pretty bird. I like the expression on her face.

[delalluvia]

I guess bird trumps plant, but it's also agonizing to watch my beautiful plant slowly die in the fierce Texas heat.  It can't help that a bird decided to call it home.

It actually isn't a bad choice for a nest.  It's high, out of the reach of all predators, I keep a bowl of water just below it on my balcony for birds and it's covered as my balcony has a roof.  Much better than an airplane engine compartment, I guess.  They don't call them birdbrains for nothing.  Well, up until guards are posted, that is. 

I called the local vet, who agreed there was nothing to be done, but in a desperate attempt to keep my plant marginally alive, suggested an aqua globe

http://www.buyaquaglobes.com/?cid=496736

Unfortunately, I could not find a store that sold them, having gone to 4 different places.  By the time I mail order them, my poor plant will be dead.

So I make-shifted one.  Punched a hole in the top of a full water bottle and tried to sneak it into the nest last night.  Bird flew away.

It was back this morning.

Well, I tried to save my plant.  I'll just let be, let be.

[Shasta542]

I saw some of those globes in Bed, Bath, and Beyond just yesterday.

[LauraGigs]

Not an uncommon problem, Del.  We had a dove build a nest in the engine compartment of an airplane my husband was a partner in.  We literally had to post a guard, but I refused to let anyone fly the plane until the eggs had hatched and the baby birds had left the nest.  So my suggestion, sacrifice the plant, and let nature take its course.

Awwww!  Good for you, SunShadow.  I love that pic.  I would have done the same thing!


And good for you for letting be, Del.  I always feel honored when birds or other critters consider part of my property a safe and good home for them (outdoor areas, I mean).

And when it's all over, the soil in that pot will be very well-fertilized.  Your next plant will thrive!!   

[David In Indy]

That sounds like a good decision Del. And I'm glad you called the vet and asked about it.

[delalluvia]

I saw some of those globes in Bed, Bath, and Beyond just yesterday.

The one place I didn't check.

I'll cruise by tomorrow.

The afternoon sun is extremely fierce on my plant in the afternoon - slanting sunlight gets under the overhand - bird is still sitting there.  I guess she knows enough to come in out of the heat if she gets too hot.