Need ideas for viewing window for wild bird nest...

[arlee453]

I moved my laundry room to another room in the house last year and have a dryer vent to the outside now that is not used. The old laundry room is patiently awaiting it's turn for demolition to become part of our new and improved kitchen, and is basically used for storage now.

When I moved the dryer, I just covered the interior part of the duct with ducttape to keep out the weather, and never got around to capping the duct on the outside.

This weekend I noticed a very small brownish wren type bird has built a nest in the old vent. From the outside I can see 4 eggs at least....

Now my question.... I would LOVE to carefully cut away the duct tape and cover the vent with something clear so we can watch the babies grow from the inside of the house. We can close the door and turn off the light in the old laundry room and she probably would not even know we are there watching her. It'd be like National Geographic! Heck, I might even put the web cam in there if it gets boring out in the peacock pen...but I digress....

Anyway, Glass is too hard to cut. Saran wrap is too thin and other easily cutable plastic is too opaque or wouldn't work.

Any suggestions for what i can use to cut a 4" round shape, and then duct tape it to the dryer vent so we can watch this mamma bird?? Is there something thinner than plexi that could be cut with an exacto knife??

 

[DuckyBoys]

How about plexi-glass?

Also, if you go into a glass store and tell them what you're doing I bet they'd cut you a piece of glass to fit for almost nothing. Worth a try.

 

[morelcabin]

Would a plastic large pepsi bottle do the trick if you cut it and duct taped it on to the duct? Or any clear plastic round container, you just have to find the right size and fit the end of the duct right into it.

 

[silkiechicken]

Don't know too much about wild birds, but if you can see it, can't it see you, and get scared and abandon the nest? There was a set of nests on the back porch... but when the birds found out humans go there when home, they left.

As for clear plastic, how about like the cookie box containers at costco that are clear? Cut out the bottom maybe?

 

[arlee453]

Class cutters is a great idea!

The room where they are located is totally dark - no windows. I think if we do the glass installation while the hen is off the nest, and then cover it with a dark cloth she'll be none the wiser.

Then when we go in to take a peek, we get the room totally dark before we look...

That's the theory anyway...

 

[menkot]

I wonder if the glass store sells the stuff like they use in interrogation rooms lol. The two way mirror . You can see them but they can't see you ? Where would you find that stuff??? Ebay maybe ... ebay sells everything.