Knit me a nest
July 4, 2014 9:25 PM Subscribe
"We use these nests primarily for the song birds," said Alison Hermance, WildCare's communications manager, as she gestured toward a blue knitted nest carrying baby finches and a gray and white nest full of tiny and eager chestnut-backed chickadees, their beaks wide open in anticipation of a feeding.
Baby birds need nests. Knitters need to knit. One thing leads to another and knitters are making nests for WildCare's foster bird program. Over 800 knitted nests have been sent in so far.
How to be a part of the project.
How to knit a nest.
There's even a Ravelry group (must login to read it).
Baby birds need nests. Knitters need to knit. One thing leads to another and knitters are making nests for WildCare's foster bird program. Over 800 knitted nests have been sent in so far.
How to be a part of the project.
How to knit a nest.
There's even a Ravelry group (must login to read it).
Link to the instagram page with photos of the nests.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:52 PM on July 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by gingerbeer at 9:52 PM on July 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
This is really cool! I see they don't mind crochet so maybe I will try to make one. It's always exciting to have a project that you know will be useful; I like having something to do with my hands and I find deciding on projects stressful so I just make little octopuses and leave them in a bowl by my front door with a sign that says "please help yourself to an octopus"* so I'm glad to have an idea for something reasonably practical.
*I always get excited when someone actually takes one. We're actually running low right now.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:14 PM on July 4, 2014 [15 favorites]
*I always get excited when someone actually takes one. We're actually running low right now.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:14 PM on July 4, 2014 [15 favorites]
Bird nests are the new penguin sweaters! Hop on the new knitting bandwagon, y'all!
From the FAQ:
"Is this like penguin sweaters? Do you really need nests or are you going to sell them for money? We really need nests. Our Birdroom director at WildCare says they’re like towels in a nursery, one can never have too many. Our commitment is that every single nest we receive will go to a bird rescue facility.
Why do you need so many nests? Because bird poop happens. Nests get very dirty over the course of a day in the Birdroom. Each baby bird must be fed approximately every 45 minutes from dawn till dusk. Although the nests are lined with tissue, they still get dirty from food and poop and need to be changed. When your baby birds need to be cleaned, you just put them into a new nest and put the old one into the dirty laundry basket."
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:17 PM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
From the FAQ:
"Is this like penguin sweaters? Do you really need nests or are you going to sell them for money? We really need nests. Our Birdroom director at WildCare says they’re like towels in a nursery, one can never have too many. Our commitment is that every single nest we receive will go to a bird rescue facility.
Why do you need so many nests? Because bird poop happens. Nests get very dirty over the course of a day in the Birdroom. Each baby bird must be fed approximately every 45 minutes from dawn till dusk. Although the nests are lined with tissue, they still get dirty from food and poop and need to be changed. When your baby birds need to be cleaned, you just put them into a new nest and put the old one into the dirty laundry basket."
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:17 PM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
This is amazing and I kind of want a me sized one to snuggle down into as well.
posted by arcticseal at 11:27 PM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by arcticseal at 11:27 PM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Me too, I want a human sized one so I can squat in my birthday suit and be feed giant sausages with tweezers.
posted by quazichimp at 1:08 AM on July 5, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by quazichimp at 1:08 AM on July 5, 2014 [9 favorites]
Um.
posted by gingerest at 2:19 AM on July 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by gingerest at 2:19 AM on July 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Hey, cool project! Will put this to the elderly knitters and crocheters where I work. They've just finished a mountain of squares for blankets to raffle and they're about to start on small bears for a charity. But after that I bet they'd be tickled to make some nests.
posted by valetta at 2:57 AM on July 5, 2014
posted by valetta at 2:57 AM on July 5, 2014
My eyes are completely hearts right now.
♥.♥
I wonder if there's a group in the UK who is doing this. It's not that I don't want to mail all potential nests to San Francisco, it's just that, due to our obsessive watching of Springwatch, I want to help stupid British baby birds get big and strong and not get eaten by adders or thrown out by a cuckoo.
posted by Katemonkey at 3:05 AM on July 5, 2014 [4 favorites]
♥.♥
I wonder if there's a group in the UK who is doing this. It's not that I don't want to mail all potential nests to San Francisco, it's just that, due to our obsessive watching of Springwatch, I want to help stupid British baby birds get big and strong and not get eaten by adders or thrown out by a cuckoo.
posted by Katemonkey at 3:05 AM on July 5, 2014 [4 favorites]
If excessive cuteness was a crime, these people would be serving life sentences. Adorable.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:36 AM on July 5, 2014
posted by Dip Flash at 5:36 AM on July 5, 2014
Cute project, thanks for sharing!
Also glad to read that they seem to be washing and re-using those nests.
posted by travelwithcats at 7:44 AM on July 5, 2014
Also glad to read that they seem to be washing and re-using those nests.
posted by travelwithcats at 7:44 AM on July 5, 2014
This is just about the nicest thing ever.
posted by Kevin Street at 11:06 AM on July 5, 2014
posted by Kevin Street at 11:06 AM on July 5, 2014
Awww! And the birdies won't complain about acrylic yarn - a perfect way to use up those regrettable leftovers. Sweet post, thanks!
posted by Quietgal at 11:23 AM on July 5, 2014
posted by Quietgal at 11:23 AM on July 5, 2014
Yay! I don't knit, but love tales of helping Mother Nature's little ones get a leg up. this post made me smile.
posted by yoga at 11:48 AM on July 5, 2014
posted by yoga at 11:48 AM on July 5, 2014
please help yourself to an octopus
That'll be really helpful in Hong Kong.
posted by dmd at 4:57 PM on July 5, 2014
That'll be really helpful in Hong Kong.
posted by dmd at 4:57 PM on July 5, 2014
Oh, yes! Stashbuster, ho! Now where'd I shove that bin of yarn?
posted by Lexica at 7:46 PM on July 5, 2014
posted by Lexica at 7:46 PM on July 5, 2014
I'm afraid my wool crafting skills would limit me to making tangled nests for buzzards. :(
I just make little octopuses and leave them in a bowl by my front door with a sign that says "please help yourself to an octopus"
I would sooooo love to help myself to an octopus!
posted by BlueHorse at 6:33 PM on July 6, 2014
I just make little octopuses and leave them in a bowl by my front door with a sign that says "please help yourself to an octopus"
I would sooooo love to help myself to an octopus!
posted by BlueHorse at 6:33 PM on July 6, 2014
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