fresh brush, new nests - MAYHEM!

[jluna]

got up pre-dawn and collected fresh brush this morning, then took down all the old stuff, found a nest that i didn't know was there with two eggs - damn!! i'm pretty sure it was double-bars. replaced nestboxes with fresh ones, stacked in the brush, put in heaps of grass, feathers and cotton-wool, refilled the water trough and sat down outside to watch.

MAYHEM!! redbrows went mental over the wool and feathers - two cockbirds, one each end of the aviary, wool in beaks, bouncing up and down and singing (almost inaudible to me) while their ladies watched. the one on the sunny end was just gorgeous in the sunlight! double-bars went straight into the brush, scrambling about and calling to each other, inspecting all the new nests (and probably lamenting the end of their first nest - ) longtails were just longtails - male singing up a storm, but this time with swampgrass in his beak.

such an enjoyable hour of watching! i always make a point of having time to watch after the spring clean-out. there's always a lot of great behaviour stimulated by the fresh materials.

[spanna]

It's a very rewarding spectacle! I spent an entire day (at least 8 hours solid) cleaning out old brush, scrubbing the walls and replacing it all about twice as thick. Did the same as you, sat and watched for a while and everyone went mad. That was about a month ago, now I have so many birds flying off nests that I don't know who is coming from where when I go in that end of the aviary. I know I've got plumheads, redbrows, cordons and I think 3 pairs of double bars already nesting in there, but they're only the light sitters, don't know who else could be hiding away sitting tight on a nest!!

[David2406]

Is it possible for you to post a pic of how you have done it. I am new to this and interested to see you do it.

[spanna]

I'll put some pics up tomorrow for you David, have to work today

[David2406]

thanks Spanna

[spanna]

Okay, bit late, but here are some pics as promised:

nesting sites1.jpg

nesting sites2.jpg

nesting sites3.jpg

nesting sites4.jpg

nesting sites5.jpg

Ghost diamond.jpg

Hope this gives you some good ideas David!

[Diane]

Looks great, can see why you have a lot of success with your birds.
Good action shot of the diamond, was the grass actually that long?

[spanna]

Yeah, the grass is a good 60cm long at least. The grass itself is the already eaten stem of veldt grass, most of my diamond nests, and many others, are built entirely of this and feathers. All I do is feed them this is their fresh green seeds, and put the old stems with the other nesting material

[David2406]

Thanks Spanna for the pics. Given me some ideas.