Christmas Tree Nest

The twelfth day of Christmas, and twelfth night tonight, so time to take our Christmas decorations down.

We like a real Christmas tree each year, so removing it takes a bit of time - especially as I cut it up so it can go into our green bin for composting. This takes time ! It also means that we can discover things along the way.

Hidden within all the dense branches towards the bottom of the tree was a nest, It was largely constructed of moss, and unsurprisingly in the travel of the tree from forest to nursery to our living room it had become dry and dishevelled.

I consulted a beautiful book J had given me for Christmas, “Nests” by Susan Ogilvy. She is a botanical illustrator, and became fascinated with nests. Drawing and painting a nest requires incredible skill. At first I thought “our” nest might be that of a wren- males build five to eight “cock nests”, the female inspects them and then lines the one she likes with feathers and hair. It’s a lot of effort for the male. So this could be a used “cock nest”. But it might be a chaffinch nest, moss is a favoured building material, although if it is the lining has gone. In the case of the chaffinch it’s the female who builds and lines the nest. The male has an easier life than the male wren.