Nest building

During the last couple of days while working near a window that provides a view of our backyard, some Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) behavior caught my eye.  The Bushtits weren't coming to the water bath, and it didn't look like they were searching for food.  My guess was that they were gathering nesting material, e.g, bits of bark and lichens.  

I kept an eye on their flight direction.  Eventually, after several tries, I spotted the nest in a neighbor's yard:

 

Bushtits build a long, pendulous nest, primarily of plant materials.  (This one has some strips of white, human-made material, too.)  You can see the small entrance near the top.

I watched for a little while, but didn't see any Bushtits near the nest.  I went back to work, but then heard the Bushtits calling, so went out to check again.  They were very busy for a few minutes, so I took a few photos from a distance:

 

 

 

I hope the Bushtits continue building their nest.  I really appreciate an occasional backyard wildlife distraction right now!