Blue grosbeaks build some interesting nests. They are always looking for the newest in building materials. Some industrious bird incorporated an entire plastic bag into this nest. Can you imagine what that must have looked like? Here's this pretty, deep blue bird flying down the road dragging a grocery bag in its beak. And then the actual weaving of the plastic into the nest. Wish I could have seen it.
I got a little curious about what might be in an abandoned nest this time of year. I grabbed a rake and pulled the limb down to eye-level. Seems that the water oak is using the nest to store acorns and some caterpillar used it as a restroom back in the fall. In case you missed my post on caterpillar frass(buried somewhere in my archives), then let me help you out. The brown thing that looks sort of like some sort of decorative bead is the frass.
6 comments:
Is frass caterpillar poop? Oh, and I love the Henry David Thoreau quote. I love him! And, I'm a Pisces too.
stacie,
Frass is the name for insect droppings. Caterpillar frass is pretty amazing stuff - no body ever guesses what it is when I use it in programs. Most people think it's a seed or a bead or something. I love the look on their faces when I tell them it is caterpillar poop ;)
Frass = insect droppings. Never knew that. I love this blog! Very informative!
Do you work for a park or environmental center? I homeschool my son and we are both nature lovers! I'll have to tell him about frass. He'll love it, and a good way to remember it will be the last 3 letters. He'll especially love that!
stacie,
LOL, now I'm going to laugh every time I say the word frass...
I am a park ranger in a state park here in NC. My husband, Treebeard, is also a ranger at another state park.
How cool! A park ranger is one job I'd love! Do you live in the park, or just nearby?
stacie,
I do love my job - it was my mid-life career change after being a librarian and a then a teacher. We live on the park where my husband works. We've been here since 1981.
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