Let us pause and give thought to birds' nests. So much nest creation happens without our awareness.
Birds nest in our gardens, in street trees, inside power poles and along roadside verges.
The Willie Wagtail's nest is perfectly circular, lined with fur and laced together with fine cobwebs, fastened to a forked branch.
Grey Fantail's nest is similar, but with a long "wineglass" stem at its base.
Our nesting magpies have used the same trees since 2000.
I watch our neighbourhood magpie make her nest. Each twig is selected with purpose and care. Then she goes to the ground seeking the next one.
Picking it up with her beak she next evaluates it, seeming to weigh and inspect its length to see if it fits that perfect purpose.
It is her determination, and dedication to the task that I so much admire.
My neighbour Lucinda and I once watched Magpie rebuild her nest, carrying it back up twig by twig, after it was blown down in a gale.
A short walk around a Collie River car-park recently revealed seven nests in three seemingly dying native eucalypts.
A Grey Teal ducked into one hollow, a tiny Striated Pardalote winged into the tiniest hole near to a neighbouring pair of Welcome Swallows.
"Dead" trees are in fact far from dead, instead filled with life and are home to numerous native species.
It is true that some species of ducks that depend upon high tree hollows to nest are vulnerable.
They are losing valuable waterside trees, and need to select trees further from water.
Check out Rosamel Reserve in Leschenault to be entertained by the Ibis. Large, wide stick-nests vie for real estate side by side. Worth a visit in winter-spring.