Continued Interesting Behavior

For yet another year our smaller Passerines have exhibited hilarious behavior at the various nectar feeders.  That is, titmice and chickadees, especially, cling to the hanger post, invert themselves, and drink from the ant moat.  Just as if they have their own private water hole.  They do seem to prefer this to the bird bath and picked it up promptly with the return of the nectar feeders in April.  I wonder how far this behavior has spread.  When it started here a few years ago it seemed every bird adopted the stance!  So we have some proof there are very clever birds out there, and they can learn new behaviors.

Curious Chickadee Behavior Continues

It seems past years' behavior by the Carolina Chickadees (and others) at the nectar feeder continues unabated.  Some years ago the chickadees came to the idea that the hummingbird nectar feeder's ant moat was a nifty place to catch a drink.  And they taught, by example, the others.  Now I see more chickadees than hummers there!  Quite a piece of entertaining behavior.  And harmless.  One just never knows if they caught the idea elsewhere and if it is spreading!

Chickadees Have An Active Nest

The nest in our so-called "bluebird box" (that keeps failing to attract bluebirds!) has not only attracted a nest builder, but an egg-layer.  And today I identified the species.  It was clear once I saw the eggs we were dealing either with a titmouse or chickadee.  Once I opened the box for inspection today I startled a---chickadee.  Mystery solved.  It is interesting that the chickadees used such a large box given their usual taste for tight little holes.  But so what?  The last user of the box was a d**n House Wren and I'm happy to see almost any other nest builder.  So we watch for another coming hatch...should be fun!

Very Well Insulated

The Carolina Chickadee nest has gotten much more interesting in the past few days.  Atop a layer of soft moss bits now appears a lush layer of dryer lint (probably ours) and ... fiberglass insulation!  Evidently our small passerine friends have glommed onto a supply of insulation.  I know it is not ours, at least, assuming the chickadees did not find their way into my crawlspace below the house.  But there is active house constuction going on a few minutes' walk from here.  Perhaps the clever chickadees spotted the material and made the best of it.  They should find that nest very well insulated!  Hopefully it will not be too abrasive.  At least so far the chickadees don't seem to care.

Nest Box Mystery Solved

Two days ago I reported that something has been building a nest in my bluebird box on a post.  I suspected Tufted Titmice on the basis of the nesting material found (moss, mostly).  Today I spotted the actual builders and I wasn't far off.  That would be Carolina Chickadees.  They usually nest in smaller holes than that box would suggest, but as Richard Burton once put it in Where Eagles Dare, a hole is a hole is a hole.  So we welcome the chickadees to the nesting derby here in the Piedmont Spring.  Should be fun to watch!

Aw Nuts.

Peanuts keep moving here at the land of Cary BirdCam, and it's almost time to replenish the stock, for I think, the third time this winter.  But it is a surprisingly small group of birds that have formed the moving crew.  From top of the month photography, I've observed all three of the winter nuthatches (Red Breasted, White Breasted, and Brown Headed), and the rest of the usual suspects (chickadees, titmice, wrens, and Downy Woodpeckers).  So far at least no others have stopped by except out of curiosity.  And blessed be, there are no squirrels in sight either.  Hence we have a relatively economical attractant for some of the most interesting small birds in the area!  Consider adding peanuts! but make sure they are squirrel-safe: two layers of steel might do the trick.  You won't regret the results!

Ganging Up

It looks like our resident Pipids have formed a winter gang.  The Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, and usually Downy Woodpeckers (if not others beside) typically form up winter associations for purposes of finding food and safety.  Our resident association is certainly in business as I have seen these birds hitting the feeders at the same time.  Even though food is quite ample here the instincts kick in just the same.  My self appointed task is to see how many individuals are forming this association.  The count so far is at least six.  I'm sure there are others...in this gang.

Great Response to Peanuts

The new menu offerings of peanuts (well, new now.  Not new to Cary BirdCam!) have been in place a week and the crowd response has been very good indeed.  Already the small birds like White Breasted Nuthatches, Carolina Chickadees, Brown Headed Nuthatches and Carolina Wrens are all over that feeder and have pulled 25% of the stock.  Best of all, there is no photo evidence of squirrels whatsoever (their depredations on the peanut butter feeder are, however, a different story)  I am beginning to suspect that I may have underpurchased peanuts for the winter.  This food stuff is sure to be another cold weather sensation!

Clever Devils

It never ceases to amaze me how clever birds can be, or at least how well they react with their environment.  This photograph is illustrating an interesting behavior.  The Carolina Chickadee is showing great interest in the open top of this support pipe for a feeder station.  What's going on?  I watched, in real time.  It turns out that the pipe is full of water -- from a deluge last night -- and the chickadee (and a titmouse, too) used that as a water source.  They had a little well going on!  It will dry upon enough to be of no use soon, but the birds figured out that they could do this.  Always amazing!
And proof that even regular old backyard birds can be a source of endless fascination...

Prospective Tenants Looking Around

Spring is now so close we can taste it.  Of course, we are tasting it here (today reached 73F).  And with spring comes nesting songbirds.  We are getting reports of early nests in some places.  Here, I have not seen nests but we are seeing the likely tenants poking around in search of the ideal location.  The current top contender is this nest box I put up three years ago, and each year it has gotten attention.  My beloved spotted chickadees at the box and I thought I spotted something over there today.  But they usually like tighter holes so perhaps this won't be our tenants--here.  But I have other boxes and there are plenty of birds.  We should start seeing real attempts quite soon.

Chickadee Drinking Antics

The hummingbird feeder at the main feeder station has been up since late March and the only regular user is...a Carolina Chickadee. This particular Chickadee (I assume it the same bird) developed the habit last summer of using the ant moat as a drinking convenience. The Chickadees will also perch on the dripper tube at the bird bath, swing upside down, and lap up drops of water straight from the spout. I often wonder if this bird (if not others it's influenced) amuses itself by hanging upside down to get a drink. All of these hijinks might have escaped my attention had it not been for my BirdCam. Now, if I can only get some hummingbirds!