Part of the attraction of building at Splinter Creek is the attention we pay to the architecture and design of our homes. Every detail is considered, from the way a house graces the banks of our spring-fed lakes to how the footprint affects the natural topography of our land. When exploring the property recently, guest blogger Erin Austen Abbott made a connection to the way we think about home design and the way our avian neighbors create theirs. She explains:
When I’m out on a walk in the woods, I always hunt for bird nests. I never touch them or take them home, but I do make a note of where I see them so that next time I’m in the area I can observe if the birds have returned or abandoned the nest.
I’m thoroughly impressed, on so many levels, by these tiny architectural creations. I love to catalogue the birds’ building materials, everything from bits of leaves to pieces of string and twine, even candy wrappers. I make note of where they chose their home site, and how those things are affected by what type of bird it might be.
Since Splinter Creek is so focused on both nature and design, and how these things play off each other, the connection between what we build and why, and what birds build and why seemed so obvious. It pleases me to think about birds this way; they are certainly tiny architects.
Last month, I wrote a birding primer as well a Splinter Creek bird field guide. If you’ve gotten into birding as a hobby, then you’ll appreciate a few nests to lookout for when exploring the Splinter Creek trails. Don’t forget your journal, a small camera, and binoculars to help you observe the nests around you.
One note: Remember to watch where you step; some birds, like the Killdeer, just lay their eggs on the ground, in grass or on rocks, skipping a traditional nest altogether.
Coming up, plan your visit the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center’s annual Hummingbird Festival, September 7-9, in Holly Springs, Mississippi.
