Growing Upside Down Birds

[HappyHiker]

Yesterday afternoon, per my usual practice, I went to water my hanging, upside down tomato plant that hangs off my front porch. It's been a pretty steady producer of grape tomatoes for the last several months.

Imagine my surprise when out exploded a very angry and wet wren who sat on the edge of the planter top opening and thoroughly cussed me out.

Boy, was she mad!

Guess that's the end of that planter producing--I hope I didn't contribute to soft-boiling her eggs.

[CathyA]

Those wrens can be really vocal! Just water your planter away from the nest and maybe don't super soak it all at once........water by little bits a couple times a day. I think you can all live together! :)

[HappyHiker]

Wish I could do that, but apparently, she's made her nest inside the bag that holds my upside down tomato plant--no way to water the plant--she's nested down where the water is. If I water the plant, she and her nest get watered too.

[CathyA]

Are there eggs in there yet? Sometimes the male builds several nests and then the female picks out the one she likes. If there's no eggs in there, I'd pull out the nest and keep the top covered.
If there are eggs........can you poke a couple holes in the bag lower down and water it through there?

[HappyHiker]

Good advice--I got a chair and climbed up and peered down into the container. Inside was a nicely constructed nest--but no eggs, no baby birds, no mama bird. So I hurried and watered my poor dry tomato plant with a clean conscience. Maybe mama got soaked or maybe it was daddy the nest-builder and they left for a less wet climate.

[Mrs-M]

What a cute story HH! :) It's my day brightener for me.

[iris lily]

There was a red cardinal bird in one of DH's squirrel traps this week. Fortunately, he'd only been in there a few minutes. I worry about those little birds who flail away when caught i traps, I always wonder if they are permanently damaged.

He gave DH a big ole squawk when he got out.

[Zoebird]

rightly so. silly humans disturbing bird ways! :D

[Mrs-M]

Iris Lily. I honestly don't think they are any worse for the wear after an even like that. With so many feathers and a cushion of down in between them and their outer dress, I'll bet the only thing they feel is relief. I'm laughing about the squawk right now because it could mean one of two things. The first thing it could have represented is, "get out of my way", and the second, "how dare you set up such a contraption"! :laff: Then of course there's the possibility that the bird may have just been thanking your husband.