Nesting

I was at the lodge this morning and I noticed a starling was picking up the fallen leaves from our bamboo bushes. It took a beakfull up onto the ridge of our neighbours lodge. Birds never seem to go directly to their nest site. they always pause. 

This starling paused on the ridge! BUT it must have opened its beak, the  leaves blew away. it went down the roof three times to gather them  up again.

Why didn't it just go and put them in its nest?