Many of our birds build large nests, carrying great long sticks through the air as they return with each piece that they have collected.
Some of the sticks are actually longer than the bird that is carrying them.
I have often been surprised at some of the bends and twists and even extending pieces sticking out that a bird has been carrying.
How it could be woven so carefully into place is a skill in itself.
As an example, the stick being carried back to the nest building site by the Cattle Egret shown here, is longer than the bird but it was sure to be worked in to place by the parent birds.
Every year our Botanical Gardens is invaded by large numbers of White Ibis with many of the trees packed to the hilt with nests almost touching each other in the same tree.
Recently I was able to watch a pair of Osprey rebuilding their old nest in readiness for the breeding season.
As one bird worked on the construction, its mate returned with another quite large stick.
It must have been suitable as the one on the nest took it from the other and dropped it onto the new base.
Most large Raptors use large sticks and branches.
I have seen a Wedgetailed Eagles Nest grow bigger year after year as the new material is placed on top of the old.
I have been fortunate to be able to photograph a Jabiru’s nest high at the top of a tree which was also composed of large sticks.
I should mention that not all large nests are built from large sticks.
The Black Swan is an excellent example of this. Grass, reeds and a variety of different water vegetation goes into the Swan’s construction which can be quite large overall.
