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Naughty by Nature

When man and fowl collide some interesting things can take place.

By Cheryl E PrestonPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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Bird nest with egg inside of pothos plant.

This image of a bird nest is a deception, as one might assume it is located in a tree or a bush. That’s only natural, because after all, where else would you expect the fowls of the air to produce a lair to hatch eggs? There is an interesting story that led me to capture this image and I will now tell it from the very beginning. In February of 2018 I purchased a pothos plant that was barely over the edges of the pot it was in. I hung it from it’s basket near the ceiling in my living room which is about 7 feet high. In time the plant began to grow until this past May, the foliage was sprawled across the floor but I did not want to trim it. Unable to secure a place inside my home that would allow more growth, I had my six foot tall brother to hang the plant on a hook in the ceiling of the front porch which is about nine feet high.

He was the only one tall enough to reach the hook by standing on a table. I would stand on a chair and step onto the table to water my plant, but was not tall enough to look inside to see what was going on. I had just enough leverage to stretch my arms to pour the water. One day after about two weeks, I looked up at the pothos from an angle and realized a bird nest was in side. We had seen bird nests in the backyard trees and even coming out of one of the columns on the front porch. The birds had obviously taken over the front porch while no one was living in the home and were not going to give it up. Each time we knocked down the nest that was protruding and hanging down from the column it would be rebuilt so we gave up. This would be our third summer in the house and we figured the birds were not going anywhere. Now, however, those naughty feathered creatures had crossed a line.

The birds were not satisfied with taking over the porch but now they had made a nest inside my house plant. I called my brother to take it down and I left it on the table on the porch as I wondered what to do. I happened to look inside and a saw a beautiful little blue/green egg. I decided to take a photo that would give the illusion that the nest was surrounded totally by nature. One I took the picture I had to enlarge it just a bit then crop it to gain the desired effect. I thought about placing the nest somewhere else but my daughter said that by placing the plant out of doors, the birds had claimed it. She said they had a right because plants were never intended for indoors, and thrived better outside. I got my brother to come back by and rehang the plant.

When I told my husband what had transpired, he was concerned. He said that now that we had touched the nest we may have contaminated it. He explained that the birds could smell a human scent and there was a possibility they might abandon the egg. I quickly went back outside and just as I walked from around the corner to the front porch. I saw a bird fly out of the nest and knew all was well. The nest had not been abandoned and new life would soon come forth. My grandchildren were amazed by the fact that a baby bird would soon be nesting in my pothos. I've had to be careful and water the plant from the side where the nest does not reach. I remember seeing bird nests in trees in my front yard as a child, but never did I imagine that they would build one on a porch where humans are sitting on a regular basis.

Pothos plant growing.

I am thrilled that a little bird will soon peak it's head up awaiting it's mother to bring food. We have watched this take place in the back yard and it is fascinating to see. I am mesmerized by the way the birds weave their basket like nests out of the materials they find lying around. I wish I could have seen the bird making the nest but it seemed to appear overnight. I was able to get the picture of the egg when my brother first took the plant down and sat it on the table. I'm not going to have anybody look in it, I will just keep watering it and wait until colder weather to bring it back inside. I may have to cut the leaves to shorten the length and start a few new plants.

I am so thankful to have had this experience with nature right on my own front porch and to obtain a photo of it all. I am elated to have been able to see up close the inner workings of the birds, the nest and the egg together with my pothos. This was a surprise encounter and cause me to process the delacate balance between humans and nature. We sit on the porch and all the while high above us the birds are creating a new life, all under one roof. I feel as though I captured a very precious moment in time with my Iphone camera. To the birds, the hanging basket plant was a tree so they made use of it.

humanity
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About the Creator

Cheryl E Preston

Cheryl is a widow who enjoys writing about current events, soap spoilers and baby boomer nostalgia. Tips are greatly appreciated.

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