A nest and three kinds of vines
Click for greater size and clarity.
It wasn’t all snails at McKinney Falls State Park on March 13th. I also came across this nest (presumably a bird’s) in a small tree. The nest was supported by two kinds of vines: greenbrier, Smilax bona-nox, and mustang grape, Vitis mustangensis. Note also the spent pod of a milkweed vine, likely Matelea reticulata, in the upper left.
© 2013 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
Beautiful bird’s nest. Love the muted colors of the entire pic. Shows how valuable appropriate cover/habitat is for nesting birds. The nest in the smilax and lots of leaves from the grape was a good choice for the bird.
petspeopleandlife
April 1, 2013 at 9:41 AM
Yes, the vines were quite sturdy and gave the nest all the support it needed. One thing that surprised me is that the nest wasn’t built in a much higher place. The fact that it was at eye-level is probably why I spotted it, but that relative closeness to the ground makes me think a predator could have gotten at it as easily as I did.
Steve Schwartzman
April 1, 2013 at 9:56 AM
You are right about that. Predator friendly for sure but hopefully the nesting was a successful one.
petspeopleandlife
April 1, 2013 at 10:05 AM
The fact that it was intact and still in the tree suggests the babies fledged successfully – unless another bird got the eggs. Still, it’s in such good shape my guess is that nothing messed with it. I love birds’ nests and even bought a field guide to them. It surprised me how many birds nest on the ground or very low, especially around the marshes.
For a real treat, take a look at Phoebe’s webcam . This hummingbird has been on camera for several years. I’ve watched her hatch and fledge two broods already. There are people in cubicles all over the country watching this bird. 😉
shoreacres
April 3, 2013 at 2:59 PM
It is surprising that so many birds nest low or on the ground. I wonder if that’s because the young of certain species are more likely than others to move around and fall out of their nest before they can fly.
I didn’t see the hummingbird, but I did see an egg.
Steve Schwartzman
April 3, 2013 at 4:25 PM