They're persistent

If nothing else, they're persistent, phoebes that is. 

This picture was taken in July of 2006. Some phoebes built a nest under the roof of our portico. 

Using the door at all scared mama while she was sitting on the eggs. The last few weeks before the babies fledged, we couldn't really use the door to go outside at all. If they got startled by us going in or out of the door, they could try to fly from the nest before they're ready and they wouldn't survive.

The next year, as soon as I heard them in the spring, we put little containers of water on top of each of the posts so they wouldn't have room for a nest. 

It worked for 2007, and it worked for 2008. Twice in the past few days, we found the little containers of water had been knocked off. We thought it was strange that after sitting there two years, they would suddenly fall. Today, we saw this.

The little container of water was no longer centered on the post, and there was mud on the post and on the phoebe's beak. Sorry ma'am this is not a good spot for a nest, we've doubled up on the containers where there's any room to perch.

They are very determined little birds.