MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 11, 2023
Many of the questions we get at Maine Audubon this time of year are about birds nesting near a dwelling, on lawn furniture, under a boat trailer, and the like – and what can be done about it. Remember: it is illegal to destroy a nest; and for most of the small songbirds nesting near our houses or structures, their nesting cycle is only going to take a couple or few weeks. The nest is just a safe place to keep eggs from rolling out; otherwise, it is a dangerous place for vulnerable babies (in terms of predators). So once the chicks have fledged, they rarely return. Two bits of advice: either stop them before they start, or dissuade them before they can start again. ~ Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox