Bushtit basket

Two days ago someone found this site by searching for “bushtit pet.” Strangely enough, yesterday I stumbled upon a bushtit nest built at eye level just a foot off a park trail. You can see it’s made of moss and lichen and I don’t know what else; in the shape of a basket or a sock. Probably spider webs like the hummingbirds use.

I wouldn’t even have seen it but the mother was inside and, I think, chicks were chirping at her for food. I reached over to very gently—I used to catch hummingbirds in my bare hands, no lie—test the weight of the nest. When I did, the mother flew out, stopped to eyeball me, then flew away. Of course I wasn’t ready with the camera.

Sorry about the weird crop. The image was crooked and my arm was in it. I had to reach through the salmonberries to get a picture that showed the nest opening.