The Curious Case of the Clothespin Bag Nest

When I walked into the shed/garage at the cabin last week, something immediately was not right. Sheets of paper towels were on the floor, and the roll had been knocked from the counter. An animal must have gotten in, which would have been easy enough because this old wooden structure is full of holes that need to be tarpapered over. But why did the animal want the paper towels?

As I looked around the garage, which serves as a storage area for fire wood, tools, and paints, I noticed that the bag that holds clothespins had been strangely altered. Protruding from the hole on top were bits of paper towels, creating a flowering clothespin bag. Something had made a nest in it, although when I poked my fingers below the towels and into some bits of grass, I couldn’t find any eggs.

Unfortunately, I don’t yet have a webcam in my shed, so I can only imagine the building of the nest. Was it one of the local bird residents—chickadees, juncos, Stellar’s jays, nuthatches?—or could it be the pack rat that a former owner told me once lived in the shed?

I consulted a few local wildlife experts, and the consensus was that the nest belonged to a rodent, perhaps a deer mouse or chickaree (grey squirrel). Most people thought the nest was too messy to be a bird’s. In fact, previous owners of my cabin had collected two birds’ nests, both of which are round and compact. One nest is braided with a narrow golden ribbon (left), a nice touch, but nothing like the clothespin nest, embellished almost beyond recognition, something more than just a safe space to sleep, almost a work of art.

If it were the chickaree, one of the most frenetic creatures around, I picture it stuffing the bits of paper towel in the clothespin bag even after they were spilling over the top. How else to explain this nest that goes beyond functional into something else, something almost out of control and a little wacky?

I’m constantly amazed by adaptability of animals that take advantage of the places and things we humans leave lying around. Most people in Meeker Park have piles of logs/tree scraps on their property, waiting to be sawed and used as firewood. These piles have a way of sitting around for years, so the chipmunks and ground squirrels have found them to be perfect homes because most predators can’t reach into the tight spaces. Often I see rabbits disappearing under my front deck, a place I hope is safe from predators.

And I just read an article in the Allenspark Wind about a couple who found that an enterprising chickaree was using their engine blocks to store mushrooms over the winter. Did it ever wonder why its food source would disappear for part of the day and come back, slightly warmed?

Because I’m living on their land, I’m grateful to be sharing my cabin and land with these wild animals, so they’re welcome to use my log pile, my deck, or my clothespin bag anytime they want.

Comments

[Barb]

A few years ago, I used organic barley pellets to fertilize my gardens - I put the left-over in my garage. Suddenly, the barley began falling from beneath our dashboard whenever we drove the van. Mice had found it and stored it somewhere under the hood (we never could find the actual hiding place). We couldn't get rid of the barley - it just kept dropping - first profusely and then a pellet or 2 at a time if we'd round a curve or come to a quick stop. It also smelled "grainy" when we had to use the heater! I'm glad to report, we no longer have that vehicle. Your own nest looks like quite the digs for something. The dots on the bag are a nice touch!

[Julene]

What an enchanting image of that bag overflowing with your shredded paper towels--fanciful, sweet. And a satisfying, yet lingering little mystery too. Must have been fun to discover.

[sally]

I agree with you Kathy, they are all welcome!! It will be interesting to hopefully see what it is. I think rodent. Let us know when and if you find out.

[Kathy Kaiser]

That's a wonderful image, Barb, of the barley falling from your car.