wool and bird nests

Latest Articles

wool and bird nests
Page Previous 1, 2

Downsizer Forum Index -> Conservation and Environment

Author

Message

ButteryHOLsomeness

Joined: 03 Apr 2005
Posts: 770

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 05 11:14 am Post subject:
i would think it would be ok if the birds incoporated it into the tangle of their nests. as mentioned before they won't take it if they don't want it you can put wool in your compost bin though, if you're wanting to dispose of it.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 05 5:09 pm Post subject:
The swallows and blackbird took hair from where Jas had scrubbed his mane and tail in the summer and incorporated that into their nests. When it's nesting time I often clean my hairbrush outside for the birds - working on the same principle - hope this is ok - together with any loose hay that quickly goes.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 05 5:21 pm Post subject:
My blue tits (well, OK, the ones in my garden!) wnet md for dog hair I put out for them in an old onion net - they have completely ignored the sunflower seeds I put out in the same tree!

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 05 5:35 pm Post subject:
I have no doubt that most animal hair like cat, dog, horse etc. is safe (have put out cat hair before, and they take it), but sheep wool is very long and curly and can get into a tangle and easily wrap itself around things, at least when washed and fluffy. Just wondered if there is any official warning from organisations like the RSPB to refrain from putting out sheep wool for birds.

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 05 7:07 pm Post subject:
They take old bits of yarn (very short" half an inch) that I put out for them: birds here must have really colourful nest linings! Decor for the chicks!

hardworkinghippy

Joined: 01 Jan 2005
Posts: 1110
Location: Bourrou South West France

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 05 9:18 pm Post subject:
This is a nest in our letter box, our postie came to the door to deliver the letters until the chicks had flown the nest : HWH

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Mon May 09, 05 10:36 am Post subject:
While walking the bounds of our land a couple of days ago I spotted a lump of raw sheep's wool in a tree: it was in a nest! Proof that some birds do use wool, presumably form the fence, to line nests.

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Mon May 09, 05 3:25 pm Post subject:
This very morning I saw a couple of sparrows on the willow in the kitchen garden with great tufts of wool they obviously picked up from the field behind the house, so I stand corrected!

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Mon May 09, 05 3:35 pm Post subject:
HWH - Lovely photo!! How sweet is that.

hardworkinghippy

Joined: 01 Jan 2005
Posts: 1110
Location: Bourrou South West France

Posted: Mon May 09, 05 6:13 pm Post subject:
The pink is Mohair dyed with Phytolaca, which I put on the compost heap after a dying session (I boiled it for too long! ) HWH

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 6:28 am Post subject:
Very impressed with your skills, HWH. Nice that the birds are using recycled goods.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat May 14, 05 9:05 pm Post subject:
We always leave the daggings when we do the sheep and they have usually gone in a few weeks, to be seen in nests later.

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Sat May 14, 05 10:34 pm Post subject:
I reckon that by the time the nests have been made and the hen has had a while to sit on the eggs etc any wool would be nicely compacted down. Could explain what happened with your little birdie Judy!

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Sun May 15, 05 8:55 pm Post subject:

nettie wrote:

I reckon that by the time the nests have been made and the hen has had a while to sit on the eggs etc any wool would be nicely compacted down. Could explain what happened with your little birdie Judy!

Youv'e got a point there, sitting on the eggs for a while would contribute to a fairly compacted, possibly felted (warmth, a bit of rain getting through perhaps) interior.

hardworkinghippy

Joined: 01 Jan 2005
Posts: 1110
Location: Bourrou South West France

Posted: Thu May 19, 05 11:38 am Post subject:
These blue tits were in a basin, which we upturned this morning - we put it back after taking the pic bien sur! This wool was re-re cycled from the postbox pic posted earlier. HWH

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Conservation and Environment	All times are GMT Page Previous 1, 2
Page 2 of 2

View Latest Posts