Shoppin' the selvedge
 

I think this is quilt related. DH and I were watching the spring action at our birdfeeders, and were delighted to see 3 male rose breasted grosbeaks going through the sunflower seeds. But I was really tickled to see a female arrive and start picking through the bits of thread and selvedge I had put out, bunched up in an empty suet basket. She looked just like any fabric shopper, going through a stack of bolts. Pulling a little here, moving around for a better look. She's gonna feather a pretty nest this year, I tell you!
Lynn

I really never thought of that!! I bet the birds around me would enjoy some "fancy decor"!!

Bet that was fun to watch. Such a good idea.

I put out some very thin little strips last year in a suet cage and never did see a bird take any so I took it down. Maybe I will try again this year.

I cut them into small pieces that they could manage. Wouldn't it be fun to spot a nest next fall that had strips of pink and blue? A nest fell out of our lilac bush late one fall and it had something soft in it that looked like a cigarette filter. Horse hair, probably from our neighbor's horse, and other bits of natural stuff. I've read they will take threads and narrow strips of selvedge, so I'm hoping she took some with her.

I have a bird nest in the front of house under the eve and befor all the birds hatched up there I saw some fake green grass that was sticking out that they must have found from some easter basket. It looked funny up there. Now it is all covered with doo doo.

We've had mocking birds using our hay cords for their nests! Nothing like seeing 4 or 5 feet of red or blue plastic rope hanging 5 or 6 ft up in a spruce tree! Very colorful at the least. LOL

Please be very careful with your thread and fabric...cut it into very short strips. A couple of years ago I was looking out my kitchen window at a Purple Martin house. Saw something flapping and went to investigate. It was a baby bird hanging upside down with a thread/string wrapped around his little leg. My hubby had to get a ladder and rescue the poor little thing. He was fine, just scared. The adult birds were really keeping an eye on us.