Every year for at least a couple of decades now we have hosted Eastern Phoebes under our 2nd story deck, and this year will be no exception. We have an ~1/8th acre natural pond on the property that the Phoebes use as their dining room, picking rising bugs off all day long.
The Missus added another level to the nest and got it all nice and poofy with mosses, and laid a first clutch of at least 3 of her eggs - and we think a Purple Finch dropped an egg in the nest as well (it's their thing, apparently).
I have three $8 esp32-cam modules trained on the nest including a top-down view, which didn't bother her at all last year and so far this year as well.
I need to back this one up about two inches to clean up the focus (for $8 delivered one can't ask for good depth of field
)
Today we had some major drama when a neighborhood broad wing hawk dive-bombed the Missus in full view of us only 20 feet away. Mister Hawk had a grip on her as he carried her off a good 100 feet - before she got loose. We thought she was doomed, didn't see her again for a good 5 minutes while her mate was freaking out and calling for her the whole time. Finally she appeared on a small tree in easy view of our deck, clearly well shaken, and she spent a good 15 minutes getting herself calmed down and cleaned up before she went on the nest again, much to the relief of both me and The Spousal Unit, who witnessed the who thing with me and was sure Missus Phoebe was hawk lunch.
Just another day in the neighborhood
Cheers!