DEAR JOAN: I have a very perplexing situation with nest building in my backyard.

I think the birds are finches -- either purple or Cassin. For the past few years they've built their nests, laid and hatched eggs, and the fledglings successfully left the nest on my wooden overhang on the patio. We have the overhang covered with a plastic wavy roof my husband installed for rain protection.

Well, I think the babies that were born here are now back building a nest. They are strangely building the nest on pieces of crisscrossed wood that are not more than 2 inches in diameter. It's a very precarious spot.

Finches are a common bird around backyard feeders.
Finches are a common bird around backyard feeders. (Hinda Schuman/Philadelphia Inquirer)

Every stalk of leaves they put in the spot just falls through to the ground, leaving large piles of unused nest pieces every day. So, no nest is being built.

They have been at this every day for more than a week. I've even seen them fly down to the ground to pick up what fell, just to bring it back up to fall again. What is wrong with these birds? Is this where the word "birdbrain" came into use?

I have put up numerous pieces of sturdy cardboard and dinner plates right near where they are building hoping they'd get the message that these spots would be more successful. Why would they not start building in these spots? Is this method too humanized?

Former finches here in the past never had this problem. Can you help me solve this strange mystery?

Sheila F.


DEAR SHEILA: First of all, get a picture and send it to our Wildest Bird Nest Contest in the category of flimsiest nest. You might have a winner there.

If the birds have successfully built nests in years past, it's obviously not a problem with the birds. I'm sure there are some inept birds out there, but I can't see that many being addled at the same time. So if it's not the birds, then something must have changed in your yard to make previous nesting spots undesirable, or something is making the new spot a hot property.

Did your husband install the corrugated plastic recently? If so, they probably don't like it for building their nests. Were trees pruned, exposing the old spots to would-be predators? Do you have an outdoor cat, or has one come into the neighborhood that is worrying the birds?

If you can spot the change and fix it, the birds may have better luck with their nests.

As for the cardboard and paper plates, obviously the birds don't like them or aren't getting the message. Perhaps you or your handy husband can install some fine mesh screen, such as window screen, on the underside of the slats, which will keep the nesting material from falling and shouldn't disturb your birdbrained builders.

Baby shower

With spring comes puppy and kitten season, and animal shelters everywhere, already filled with pets who need forever homes, will soon be brimming over with newborn animals in need of rescue.

To help prepare for what lies ahead, the folks at Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek are throwing a puppy and kitten shower.

Here's how to works: Visit a Pet Food Express in Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Clayton, Lafayette, Danville or Blackhawk, choose a gift from ARF's registry and then attend the shower, 1 to 4 p.m. April 13 at ARF, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. You also can shop for gifts at ARF's wish registry on, or if you can't attend the shower, drop the gifts off at ARF.
