Feathers Ruffled Outside Wingate

North Stafford, Va. –– It was Birdgate at the Wingate hotel Sunday.

Two birds dive-bombed patrons walking in the hotel’s parking lot because they came too close to a nest of three little hatchlings.

Hotel guests complained to management who later found the small birds nestled in a bush outside the front entrance to the hotel off Va. 610 in North Stafford.

“We noticed the birds this morning, and we didn’t want anything bad to happen to them,” said a hotel employee who declined to give her name.

Employees then took photos of the baby birds inside the nest, put the photos on signs to warn people to stay clear of the area, and taped them to orange cones that were erected around the bush. They also added yellow caution tape in hopes people would keep out the bird danger zone.

For at least one woman the cones and caution tape weren’t bright enough, as she too walked right past the bush and became a quick victim of the  birds. No one was injured, and the woman quickly batted away the bird and kept walking.

Employees called several businesses Sunday morning hoping someone would know what to do about the birds, but many were closed, except for the Stafford County SPCA who came out the hotel.

The birds, known as a flycatcher, are migratory birds that can be found between Pennsylvania and Florida, have most likely flown north to beat the southern heat, and will hang around about another two to three weeks until the three hatchlings are ready to leave the nest, said Stafford County SPCA Director William Hoyt.

“It’s going to be really easy for them to stay with the tremendous food source (WaWa convenience store) next door,” said Hoyt. “But as soon as the babies are ready to go, the adults will leave too.”

Some employees wanted to simply move the nest to another bush or tree, but it is illegal to relocate baby birds more than 10 feet, or into another bush or tree, said Hoyt.

A portion of one of the branches of the bush was part of the nest, making it nearly impossible to move the next without damaging it, prompting momma and poppa bird to abandon their small offspring.

As soon as many of the onlookers cleared out, the two birds went back to collecting food and delivering to their young.