“Are you planting another tree?," I asked my husband when I saw this hole…
“No, why would I plant a tree near a corner of the house foundation?”
We crept closer…lo and behold, there’s a beautiful egg in a perfectly round nest! Is my post from Monday out in the internet cosmos and Mother Nature is chuckling to herself, “Oh, yeah!? I’ll show Tara what spring is!!”
We have no idea what kind of egg or nest it is. We do live near the river. A duck, goose or swan? Reptilian since it’s on the ground? Any ideas? My youngest daughter suggested platypus!This nest is about the size of a dinner plate in diameter and about six inches deep. The egg is just larger than a chicken’s egg.
But the most important question of all: will Mommy be back?OK! OK! Mother Nature you got me good! I believe, I believe in Spring! Sending good karma my way, you are having the last laugh! If she doesn’t come back do you expect me to sit on this nest???Yikes!
Any volunteers looking to take a shift of nest sitting can leave their name in the comments! Feathers and twig donations appreciated. Hee-hee!
31 comments:
Tara, Tara, how lucky you all are! I can't wait to see your new tenant:)
I think it's a baby teredactal! How do you spell that word anyway? If mommy doesn't show up soon you'll have to take her place... oh my!
oh, my goodness...I can't wait to find out what kind of egg this might be. Will you pls. keep us posted? I am watching a mama Morning Dove sitting on a single egg right outside our bedroom window...it is so amazing. I do hope I see the hatching...will I be that lucky?
hugs, bj
oo, did I ever tell you that I am in love with your living room?
Oh, what is it?! What is it?! Jumping up and down with excitement here! You simply must add this post to the Spring Fluffing Game over at my blog (still going on from last week). This is one of the most exciting Spring Fluffing moments ever! :-)
http://theinspiredroom.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/sweet-escape-spring-fluffing-game/
Hello Mother Tara, Mother Nature really did get you good this time!!! You might have to camp out and sit on the egg all night like a chicken lol. Keep us informed if you find out what sort of egg it is 'Mother Tara'.
Siobhan xo
Hi Tara, How exciting! Could it be a bobwhite quail? You might do a search under ground nesting birds for your state. Please tell us if you find out what it is:>)
Tara, that is amazing. It will be interesting to see who laid this beautiful little egg.
Thank you for sharing.
Karen
That IS exciting, finding mystery eggs on your property. I would suggest it isn't a duck or goose egg, because they line their nest with their down to keep the egg warm and I can't imagine they'd nest next to a building's foundation if water is nearby. Those species also lay more than one egg (although the others may have been eaten by predators before you discovered this one). Also, because the shape appears rather spherical (maybe it's the just the picture), I think you are looking at a non-avian egg.
I wish to side with your youngest daughter and say you should start shopping for platypus booties, largely because I think that would be the most exciting outcome of all!
Hmmm! You all have me thinking! We do have quail here but they are small yet I'll start researching...Teredactal hit us, too!
I agree it may not be a bird's egg do to the roundish shape. We checked the nest during the night to see if anyone came back to sit! Noone sign of anyone yet!
:0)
Tara
This is the sweetest reminder of all, and a special gift for you! Nothing is more sacred than a bird's nest. Once we had some barn swallows build a nest under the eaves over our front door. My Greek neighbor told me that in their tradition this was very lucky omen indeed. Karen
Oh, what a delight. Hopefully the layer of the egg will return to nurture it. :)
Alexandra
My daughter, the naturalist (really! she was offered a *paying job! but I digress) says it's not reptilian, because there would be many eggs, and they'd be buried. She says it's unlikely it's goose or swan, because they'd stay with it. Her best guess off the top of her head is that perhaps it's a Kildeer, but she'll ponder and research today to see if she comes up with any other ideas. (Do you know what a kildeer sounds like? Very distinctive call, and they will flee the nest to flap around like wounded bird somewhere ELSE if you come near the nest).
Not kildeer eggs, those are speckled. Google "Royal Alberta Museum: eggs" and go to their data bank.
i think killdeer eggs are smaller and speckled? hmmm...please keep us posted...very interesting!
Ha, nope I dont think its a platypus egg as they lay theirs in burrows plus I think you are a little far from an Australian creek lol!! Hope it hatches, would love to see whats inside!
Alicia
Hi...just found your lovely blog! What a delightful time I spent reading all your posts.
Can't wait to see if the egg hatches.
Oh wow, Tara.... I wonder what kind of egg or nest that is... hope is not a dino's egg :)
Have a great weekend!
Cielo
This is very exciting indeed. Can't wait to hear the outcome. Every year a duck builds her nest under a bush next to the concrete foundation of my Mom's house. And my Mom does not live near any water.
Hi Tara!
Oh, you'll have to keep us posted as to the fate of that lone egg!
it is wonderfully mysterious isn't it?
xoxo~
Abbie
Cant wait to see what kind of bird it is! Spring is finally here (I say this cautiously...)
Annie
WOW, Tara! I wonder what it is!? I hope it's Momma comes back soon and it will hatch -- what fun!
Have a good weekend!
Hugs, Pat
Wow, how wonderfully unusual! Please keep us posted sweetie, I love a good mystery! Have a great weekend Tara!
Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)
WOW! That is sooooo cool! I haven't a clue what it might be.... but I'm excited to find out! ;) Keep us updated, for sure!
Shannon
Tara ~ I sent your blog link to a biologist friend of mine. We'll see if he knows..... :)
Alexandra
Well, we shall just call you-
"Tara-sic Park" and we can't wait to see the T-rex that hatches.
They would pick your home! ( or hammock! )
:)
Hi Tara!
This could be one of those old radio mystery programs: "Stay tuned for The Mystery of the Lone Egg... tonights chapter, Who's Your Momma! Tomorrow night's program will be, Sitting Pretty! Now for a commercial break..."
LOL This is really fun!! I can't wait to see what it is!
Hugs, Sherry
OHHHH! It's a mystery! I love it!!
Hi, I'm new, but now I'm curious! LOL I have to know what this turns out to be :)
Rue
Tara ~ My biologist friend who is extremely smart suggests some type of box turtle or snapping turtle. If you live near water, chances are it's a snapping turtle. If you live near the woods, chances are it's a box turtle. Platypus's, according to my friend, are found only in Australia. He says, "Even from the NYC Zoo, it would be quite an escape." :
Alexandra
Tara ~ Here is some more info, from David, my very smart biologist friend, that came to me this morning:
I looked at the picture from
Tara's website and I still think that it is some kind of
turtle egg. I do not believe that a snake would build a
nest like that. Here are a few websites that I found and
thought that you might want to check out. I am still
leaning towards a box turtle, but I could be wrong รข€“ maybe a
painted turtle, although I think that they are smaller.
Snapping turtles have eggs that are more round. Turtles
usually lay several eggs, but may lay one or two in one nest
and then move some where else and build another, so maybe
that is what happened. The first website describes the eggs
(note the size range) of a box turtle and the other web
sites have some pictures.
http://www.wildwnc.org/education/naturalists-notes/unearthly-
discoveries
http://www.korbo.com/ecology/TurtleShots_17aug06.html
small box turtle with small egg and compared to snapping
turtle egg
http://www.turtleforum.com/forum/upload/index.php?
showtopic=58543&st=0&p=491431&#entry491431
look under photo galleries and then the turtle
encyclopedia pages for pictures (the snapping turtle pix are
impressive!)
An egg! How cool is that!? And in such a peculiar place!
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