The first cuckoos of Spring!

The first dyeing cuckoos of Spring 2011 were spotted in N.E. Georgia this weekend. 

 

Here are some examples of their typical habitats…

 

 

 

…. they’ve been nest building…  here are some of the materials they like to gather to carry out their activities and pursuits……as you can see anything goes! 

   

Dried leaves, lentils…and it’s not easy to make a nest from lentils!   Grasses, bits of cardboard…anything else lying around we can use?

 

 

 

  

Some examples of completed “bird” work:   on the left a “nest” that has been completely overworked by several birds…abandoned last year and revisited, but we’re still not sure if it will support life. Detail on the right where you can see the material added by some crazed dye hen this last weekend.

 

These dye avians are very messy; here on the left is a typical example of their detritus.

However, we were pleasantly surprised by the completed arashi nests neatly grouped by our friendly wild life photographer (yes a wild life is led by her, in dreams if nowhere else!).

AND, it is rumoured that the dyeing  and construction of arashi-based quilts  will be explored at Arrowmont this Fall!  A bit late for your average bird…but there’s nothing average about the Dye Bird!

And now back to clean up all those bird droppings….
.if you have been, thanks for reading!  Elizabeth
PS  All comments Very Welcome!  This poor old bedraggled motheaten avian does like reinforcement!