Bird nest up on the side of King Pin!!!!

SARGUY wrote:
Two years ago we had them in our fifth wheel hitch,we were going camping on the weekend and this had been planned for weeks. When we were ready to hook up we could hear the baby birds crying for mama. I checked the hookup and it seemed that they would be safe if we hooked up. Long story/short we got to the camp ground only about 25 miles from home and they were still chirping away. an hour or so later Mama showed up and suddenly the little ones were jumping from the hitch to the ground and attempting to fly. Within an hour or so they were gone with Mama to who knows where. It has always made me wonder how Mama bird knew where her babies were, the only explanation is that she followed our Fifth Wheel for those 25 miles.

They were kidnapped.

We had this problem last week. The nest was reachable and I gently lifted it out and placed it about 7 feet away and up by a 2x4 that was holding stuff...we worried the mom would reject the babies but she was feeding them when we got home....hope she continues to build the nest there.

These birds are on top of the king pin in the cap!can't see them at all just straw hanging out and lots of bird **** on side of it!!! And on drive way. Birds are gone but now trying g to get in there to get nest out. Can't imagine how much bird **** is up there. Don't even know how to see in up in there to clean. We have dry vac getting some but they built it in the far right corner whete the switch is to raise and lower 5th wheel.

bobsallyh wrote:
Fortunately, I have caught them as they were starting their build. Since then, I roll up aluminum foil and stuff that in there, because I stuff my breakaway cable and trailer cord in the pin box. So I can easily pull the foil out.

Just recently was reminded that the trailer cord has power going to it when unhooked and on shore power. Might want to rethink stuffing that live wire into the pin box. I now have the cord stuffed but the plug is always hanging so as not to short out and start fire.

One year we were in Florida visiting our son. When we got to our summer haunt in Indiana, we took the bikes off the back of the motorhome and there on the one seat (which had been covered) was a nest with 3 eggs in it. We had to have gotten it in Florida. They were a long way from home.

Just this week we are in the Elkhart Campground. We went in for service the other day and DH noticed bird nest debris when we closed up the main slide. We pushed it back out and there was the nest, still intact, with 2 robin eggs in it. We removed it and placed it on a fencepost at the back of our site. When we returned and all the next day, that nest sat there and momma was around but never sat on it.

But she did return to the rail under the slide and nested once again. Strange, though, she didn't built a nest, just left egg #3 on the frame. I removed it and put it in the nest with the other 2. She kept nesting there and last evening, another egg! I removed it and placed it back in the nest, which now was devoid of any eggs. Nest intact, so not sure what got them. She is one persistent robin. We aren't going to be here long enough for her to raise them.

Dale

The rascals got into our underbelly thru the slide rail openings, luckily a Ranger at the CG knew what to do after I dropped the access cover for her.
Now I spray animal repellent anywhere they might get in, no more problems.
That being said let's be honest with ourselves about this. Are we really going to abort a long planned trip?

Had a friend that put a deflated beach ball in the pin opening they blew up to keep birds out. Worked well for him.

Sarguy, that is amazing!!! Yes if they have not left the nest by next Thursday they will be going with us! And mayble we could toss the nest and eggs too, but not the chicks!! But we will be stuffing every possible place on that 5th wheel that a bird could make a nest!! This is our 2nd spring for our 5th wheel and didn't have a problem last year, but it wont happen again!!! Thanks everyone!! We really appreciated all of your replies. Tara :)

JesLookin wrote:
Last year I asked a state naturalist what to do if there is a nest where you don't want it. Answer was to remove the nest, but if there are eggs or babies in the nest - you can't move the nest until the birds leave.

Depends on the species.
Native birds are protected, but starlings and house sparrows are invasive exotics and not protected. You'd be doing us all a favor to destroy any of their nests you find - if you can do it. I could toss eggs, but not chicks :(

SARGUY wrote:
Two years ago we had them in our fifth wheel hitch,we were going camping on the weekend and this had been planned for weeks. When we were ready to hook up we could hear the baby birds crying for mama. I checked the hookup and it seemed that they would be safe if we hooked up. Long story/short we got to the camp ground only about 25 miles from home and they were still chirping away. an hour or so later Mama showed up and suddenly the little ones were jumping from the hitch to the ground and attempting to fly. Within an hour or so they were gone with Mama to who knows where. It has always made me wonder how Mama bird knew where her babies were, the only explanation is that she followed our Fifth Wheel for those 25 miles.

Amazing story!