Birds Didn't Cotton To This

As I close down backyard summer fixtures during October, I am taking detailed notes on all that worked or didn't work this year. We're well past nesting season so I have taken down a 2009 experiment: a cotton fiber ball. I hung this along an edge back in February. Why? well, I had noticed that some 2008 nest box attempts had incorporated dryer lint. The thought came that providing a big 'ol ball of cotton fibers would be a nice gesture for everyone in the local nesting community. The ball was picked at, based on a bit of disturbance noticeable at the top. But I have no reason to think any birds really made use of the thing. So what I have is a dirty cotton ball. I reckon I'll clean it up and hang the fool thing in 2010--it can't hurt to do so, but I won't be expecting any great outcome and I won't be adding this item to the winter shopping list.