In addition to April's warning -- Embroiderers' Guild of America members discussed this decades ago, and at great length. Some people were putting their yarn orts (scraps) out for birds to collect for their nests. Bird lovers weighed in. It seems that many threads (wools for needlepoint and knitting, etc.) hold a lot of moisture when wet and take a long time to dry. It was reported that nests need to be dry, and the making of them from dry grasses, weeds, and twigs is safer for baby birds, because the natural materials dry quickly. (I can also imagine that tiny feet could get trapped in loosely-spun yarns.) Somehow, I think the pictured nest may have had some assistance from human hands!
Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center --------------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 3/24/2012 11:14:31 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I remember a discussion many years ago, as to whether birds would use, to build their nests, any threads that they found. Well, here is proof that some birds might do so, at least in California: http://willows95988.typepad.com/tongue_cheek/2012/03/if-martha-stewart-was-a -bird.html Pene in Tartu, Estonia where the snow is finally melting & sublimating. - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
