I have been incorporated into a nest.

Well--bits of me have, anyway. When I walked Autumn this morning, the bluebirds who have claimed one of the three nest boxes decided that either A.) I was venturing FAR too close to their territory, or B.) my hair (which was flying around in the breeze) looked rather tasty. (Or perhaps it just looked like a bird's nest. :P ) Either way, I was thoroughly dive-bombed by one of the pair. Each time she dove for my head, she let out a loud, indignant *CHIRP!* The third time was the charm, however, and she flew directly back to her nest box with a few pieces of my hair in her little claws.

Yes, it hurt. No, I'm not particularly upset about it. I expect this behavior from the barn swallows, seeing as how they're fantastically human-tolerant unless they have newly-hatched young to protect. THAT'S when they dive-bomb us. The other times, they're not intending to threaten us--they're swooping at the bugs we stir up when we mow the lawn, or walk through high grass. Bluebirds are swallows, so I wasn't shocked to have them coming so close. Can't say as I'm surprised they may have associated me with food, either. My mother has been putting out little trays of meal worms and a special mix of suet to encourage them to use that specific nest box, as it is one she can easily see from the house with the binoculars.

All I can say is that I hope these particular bluebirds have no magical inclinations, lest they use my hair to bind me to their nest as its unwitting guardian. Next thing I know I'll be standing by the birdhouse with a thwarted blacksnake in my hand and no idea how I got there.