instinct – SilverLining

Nearly all the leaves are down now. The stark look and cold feeling of winter is coming on. Through the bare branches of the trees, birds’ nests are visible in random spots all around the pond. It is amazing to see the sizes, shapes, architectural design, and materials of the nests. Above is a photo of what I call the Guggenheim Museum (a Frank Lloyd Wright design) nest, as seen from 5th Avenue. Below is the E 89th Street side. I can’t imagine the amount of work that went into this solidly built, clay nest. About six inches (or stories) tall, it is donuts of mud stacked upon each other.
Unlike the Guggenheim Museum, an interior view of this nest is free.
The Baltimore oriole nest from which the dear little fledgling nervously departed is below, in bare contrast to the cover of green leaves in which it was hatched and grew.

Farther along the path, at the far end of the pond, is a second oriole nest — the distinctive, dangling cradle that gives the appearance of hanging tenuously though I’ve seen it weather strong winds and pelting rain, going completely horizontal with the hatchlings inside!

This next nest makes me question that we question the intelligence of birds. There is some serious knot tying evident in this structure, as there is in the orioles’ nests’ points-of-contact with the branches.

The close-up below shows a wrapping/tying technique.

This next nest I call the “junk art” nest. It has bits of curly tendrils (from bittersweet vine, I think) as well as strips of plastic (lower left) as well as randomly sized out-shoots – for better protection, I wonder?

And the nest below is the “less is more” nest. I believe this is a catbird’s nest. It is located exactly where I often saw the catbird.

This final nest is the “debris” nest. I’m going to give the former inhabitants the benefit of the doubt and allow that an inordinate amount of leaves landed in their home…not that they were neglectful of nestwork. After all, my nest can look like this after a busy week of us not having time to pick up after ourselves.

Most of the images in this post were shot from three to four feet away because of lots and lots of branch interference. I contemplate the “thought” that went into picking the perfectly sheltered location of each of these nests. And I think of the parent birds determining on which branches to fasten the structures – for maximum stability through wind and rain, and maximum shelter from other preying animals. And I think about how they are fastened to the branches.

To my mind, instinct is two dimensional and reactive by nature. These nests are three dimensional and required an intelligence that I propose is something a bit more than instinct, if somewhat shy of actual intelligence.

Along with the blossoming of buds, I have enjoyed observing the blossom of love in the waterbirds. Before the ice had melted from the pond, a pair of Mallards floated harmoniously in the chilly water. Soon after, the Canada Geese arrived. Side by side, the pairs of birds shared the warmth of the spring sun. (Click on these photos for enlargement and clearing viewing. Use the back-arrow to return to the post.)

One day, the most delightful two-some, Ring-necked Ducks (below), appeared. These petite birds sat low in the water and stayed close to each other’s side. Often they would take shelter under an overhang of evergreen branches at one end of the island. I have loved watching them and what I see as devotion to each other. As they are small waterbirds, they struck me as delicate and vulnerable. I perceived their physical closeness to be a protective instinct for each other.

If you wonder how it is that I am using the birds’ names in this post, it is that I have become intrigued by the waterbirds as well as the perching birds in and around the pond. My curiosity about them has led me to purchase a pocket guide to help me differentiate these beautiful creatures.

While the other waterbirds were used to me and allowed me to get fairly close for photos, the Ring-necked Ducks were exceedingly timid and in smooth but determined motion, would paddle a distance from me if I approached their location while I walked the perimeter of the pond.

Last week, I began to see the male Mallard alone in the pond. I noticed that he would trail the Ring-necked Ducks. I supposed he was lonely. In the early evening the female Mallard would come by the pond and together they would go for a quick fly-over or a stroll on the shore. In this photo I imagined him to be Mr. Darcy to her Miss Elizabeth Bennett – as he pursues her with determination, as she keeps a cautious distance. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

I think she has taken up residence across the street in a stream setting, perhaps tending to a nest. He chases her to the street but then flies back to the pond alone. Here, he buzzes just over my head in his return flight to the pond.

Each day now, as evening settles, the pairs dreamily float along. In this final shot, I will identify the waterbirds in the characters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – for the enjoyment of those of you who love her story of love and pairings as much as I. So, pictured here, I see Miss Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley (the Ring-necked Ducks) in the lead, with lonely Mr. Darcy (the male Mallard) trailing next, looking about for Elizabeth. The Bennet parents and their in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner (Canada Geese pairs), follow as they keep the young love birds under their watchful eyes!

Tag: instinct

Architectural Feats

Love Is In Bloom