Our garden;s nesting Bushtits were around the nest sac some in late morning. The female entered once and I saw the bottom of the sac pulsate briefly. Was she re-decorated, moving mos about? only a few seconds later she emerged and he arrived but did not go in. She couldn’t have laid an egg that quickly, right? Just checking to make sure all is copacetic? Then in the afternoon feeding. I sat down within eight feet of a feeder and she ignored me–nice shots.
NEST ACTION
The male was just there a foot from the nest. Not moving around, looking around. Safety check? It is unusual to see these birds not in motion.
Dr. Sarah Sloane answered my questions about Bushtit nests (I actually stooped to calling them “nestions”). He re’s here reply: The main ingredients in a bushtit nest are spider web and lichen. They stick together like Velcro — literally. Both have tiny projections that latch together. Pretty amazing stuff!!
FOOD
I noted in a previous blog how crucial food and protein are to a female producing eggs (5 to 7 in her case, if all goes well). Here she is at the suet.
The he went to the suet house, and she flew in to join him, lingering after he flew off.
MY PRECIOUS, FRAGILE, BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBOR
The Mrs. dines, confident that a large seated mammal is to be ignored…thankfully.
Notice the fine, translucent feathers projecting from her sides. I think they are the soft plumage that lies beneath her closed wings.
Towheeblog 
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