Work Zone

We had people over Saturday evening after we returned from the Flower Show, for the first time in forever it seemed. And the day before we tidied up the place, including Patty sweeping the deck.

So it was a bit of a surprise when I walked around the deck and found this:

WTF? 

And this:

WTF² !

What (who?) was throwing mud at the top of our window? And why? We were stumped. And it had happened why we were at the Flower Show that morning. Very curious.

Later that day I was sitting at my desk when I spotted this:

A feathered tail. Ah ha! What birds make mud nests? Swallows? That's not a swallow tail though.

Mystery solved. Eastern Phoebes were the mess makers. Buy why this spot?

They had fledged four chicks from the previous nest. And the platform on the garage would seem better suited to the task at hand.

The ledge they were trying to build their nest on was clearly non-optimal. So I helped them out a bit.

A bit of scrap fit nicely in the siding slot above the window.

And the birds took to it straight away.

Crazy if you ask me.

But they seem to know what they are doing.

Although I wonder how long it would have taken had I not installed the shelf?