The Story Behind The Bird Nesters

We are often asked how our bird nesters came to be ...

When we came to our property, we had no facilities and needed to build our home and infrastructure for our animals.  We could only shear our llamas outdoors, using the trees for shade.   While we were shearing we would see birds gathering the fibre that blew away from us and was left behind. We would see the birds take fibre from the fences and other places it could be found.

One day, the children noticed a big wattle tree that looked like it had fluffy pom poms. We found a ‘pom pom’ we could reach and discovered that it was a nest entirely built from our llama fibre. We counted over 40 in this big tree and none in the surrounding trees. Since having seen this, we have kept an eye out for the nests. We have found nests with mud and fibre, nests made entirely of fibre and nests made with sticks and fibre. Some are open nests and others are constructed like a ball with an entry hole. It appears that all kinds of birds will use the fibre and incorporate it somehow.

Since we have begun processing our fibre, we have been saving our left over fibre to fill our bird nesters. Nesting activity generally takes place from August to January for our local birds. Honeyeaters are already taking fibre from nesters within Boddington.

 

The best place to hang a nester would be where you can see it and enjoy it! Wherever a bird is brave enough to venture would be suitable, and they are pretty brave when they are looking for nesting material! Hanging the nester out of the rain keeps makes fibre easier for the birds to remove and ensures the nester looks fresh and inviting. Water won't ruin it but will flatten the contents until it dries. Pulling tufts of fibre through the nester to make it look really fluffy should get the birds started. Once they have found it they will return often.

It is a great feeling to give our feathered friends a helping hand and contribute to their cosy nest. Better yet, it is very exciting when you discover a nest in your garden made from something you have provided!