A New Nest - Nicholas and Alexandra

EEK the turtles are invading my nest!
Alexander get over here and help.

So what do you want me to do, exactly? They are everywhere, they just want to sit and sun.

Never mind. I will just sleep standing up. Who cares if I just drop the eggs standing.

This is ridiculous. Everytime I add to the nest, more turtles.

Ahh finally peace. The nest is looking good and now to get down to the business of laying.

Last week and most of the weekend I watched my favorite pair of swans make their nest. For the first time in five years they changed the location in the pond where they nest. It is a little easier to see them and it is definitely harder for predators to get to them. Now they just have to worry about the turtles.

Turtles are really bad about eating the babies. They pull them under water and drown them then eat them. However, our biggest problem is foxes and coyotes. Last year they got ten out of thirteen. It was really sad. Hopefully this year they will have more survivors.

The nest took days of work. They shredded the cat tails, soaked them in the pond then started stacking them. She would stomp around the nest pressing everything into a compact layer, then start again. He would bring her material for inspection. She was pretty picky. Then they would rest and start again. She has not left the nest site since they started. I am hoping to get pictures of the eggs.