Poor Frantic Phoebe

We had a pair of eastern phoebes who made a very poor choice when they decided to nest on the sill above our kitchen window.

In part, this was because the kitchen window overlooks the path we use multiple times a day to go to and from the house. Very nerve-wracking for small nesting birds.

More of a problem for Mr. Phoebe was the alarming number of Other Males Phoebes (OMPs) who appeared all around the house and at our cars. They were, of course, his own reflection in windows and side mirrors. We watched one day as he had a total meltdown trying to eliminate the upstart in the RAV's mirror. He would plaster himself to the house windows, clinging to the screens, tail spread, fury radiating from every pore.

I hung a mobile outside one of our picture windows to discourage any bird, phoebe or other, from splattering him or herself on the glass. Our phoebe found it (the mobile) a splendid perch for surveillance of the threatening OSP that lived in that window.

Guests would be awoken at 5:30 a.m. by our frantic phoebe's attacking their window. He got called epithets.

I started pondering the meaning of "bird brain".

Willie offered to remove the nest but I refused. They were here first, I said.

I saw the female sitting on her nest and I tried to stay away. One alarmed phoebe is plenty.

I don't know if we were too much or if she had to take her gentleman for therapy, but they've gone. Two days ago, the tempest of phoebe fury vanished. Our screens are serene. All we're left with is the poop under the mobile and on the car, and an empty nest.