The Big Fledge

Hello friends! I am back at post and observing what's out there.  And what was out there this past Sunday was a fledge at the Colonial Williamsburg Bird Bottle.  The Carolina Wrens had a second brood there and #2 entered the world.  I regret that I did not witness the youngs' departure, but I saw mother in the morning in the doorway and nothing---and abandoned bottle---by end of day.  It was a thrill seeing the bottle get such good use!  I hope to see the new additions around the yard!

Last Nesters of the Year

Things have picked up among the Goldfinch community.  They are in the best plumage, feeding like crazy, and nesting.  They are the lastest to do so in these parts, having been aligned by evolutionary forces to the cycle of the asters in mid- to late summer.  Of course we have seed feeders out even before then so the goldfinches don't really have any food crisis.  Nevertheless, nature calls when it does and it is calling now.  I expect to see waves of hungry young by the end of July.  And they will come.  Lucky I bought an extra sack of sunflower seed!

What a Letdown

I am always on the alert for very interesting bird sightings in unusual places, like, say, the portico of the local arts center building.  I'd seen birds zipping in and out of an obvious nest at the top of the capital.  Hence, I pulled over this past Saturday to investigate.  It took a few passes before I could get a decent identification.  And I conclude: starlings.  Ugh.  European Starlings.  Nothing special at all.  Just nasty invasives making a mess of a civic structure.  I won't keep following this crowd, but I will stay alert for other interesting ones!

Wrens Using Bird Bottle For a Second Time

So it will be twice.  The Carolina Wrens (same pair?) are back in the Colonial Williamsburg Bird Bottle hanging over our garage door.  I've finally seen evidence that there is a new nest in progress and that birds are moving in and out of the bottle.  That's great news because I have had on- and off- results at this unusual nesting structure for five years and this would be the first time (fingers crossed) two active nests occurred in one season.  But we have a ways to go before I can make great claims.  For now, it's going to be fun to watch and I hope the wrens are successful!

Back to the Garage

The thing with Carolina Wrens is that once they get an idea in their heads, it doesn't seem to come out.  Case in point: a pair of Carolina Wrens, dissuaded from nest-building in our garage in March, upon completing first brood went right back to nest-building there.  No matter that they had a perfectly satisfactory experience with our Williamsburg "bird bottle", or that the same large biped expressed displeasure with the garage plans.  The side shelf seems to be an irresistible attractant.  So now, for at least a couple more weeks I must be vigilant to the wrens whenever the door is open.  That's not a lot of fun!

Tufted Titmice May Fledge Soon

A few weeks ago I noted and reported that our dedicated blue bird nest box (on a post) was being used, not by bluebirds, but by what I thought were Tufted Titmice based on the nest construction.  But only this week was I able to verify that is the species concerned.  I observed two birds engaged in a feeding activity at the box, indicating most likely hatchlings present.  And given how late the season is, I expect they are very close to a fledge.  If so, I have evidence that we had three active nests on the property and at least two sets of hatchlings (I am uncertain how a White Breasted Nuthatch nest turned out.)   Now, if only the bluebirds will use the darn box!

A Bumpy Fledge

This morning brought a most pleasant surprise!  I was present to see the fledge of two Carolina Wrens from the seemingly infamous Williamsburg "Bird Bottle".  But the first flight had its surprises.  One bird dropped and bumped off the garage wall to the part of the yard to my west.  Good enough.  But youngster #2 flopped into the open garage and promptly disappeared into its dark recesses.  The parents watched warily for a time and disappeared.  Only after about a quarter hour was I able to locate the fledgling and induce it to move into the outside world.  And that happened, with a happy result.  Two more wrens are on the premises and the bird bottle is definitely redeemed!  You can't beat that!

My Patience is Ever Rewarded

It seems that a pair of Carolina Wrens, thwarted in their efforts to build a nest in our garage, settled this week on using my five year old Williamsburg "Bird Bottle".  The bottle has acquired a collection of light plant materials and I observed wrens flying back and forth to the bottle location.  As you can imagine, I am delighted.  I have struggled with this nesting location for its entire history and only once has a fledge come out of it.  Whether they stay with this nest site or not remains to be seen.  It is noteworthy that the season has been colder than normal and perhaps that played into the birds' decision.  For now, my patience has been rewarded, as it was before.  Let's see what happens!

House Hunting

I really, really enjoy the onset of spring.  And in 2014 I need and appreciate every positive sign.  Here's an especially good one.  I caught sight of a pair of Eastern Bluebirds doing some house hunting -- at my purpose-built bluebird box on a post!  The female was intrigued enough to enter the box and inspect the premises which are clean and tidy.  No bluebirds used this box in the past two seasons and I am hopeful 2014 is the charm!  I shall know in a few weeks if they bought the place.  Still, just seeing birds on this house hunt is a nice sign of better weather to come!

Whither the Bluebirds?

Yes, it is another nesting season.  Yes, we have bluebirds around.  Yes, there are great nest boxes available here for them.  And, no (sigh) they nest elsewhere, as was true all last year.  I don't get it.  They love the food here, just not the lodgings.  So I watch the male in the backyard grab bits of suet and fly off to parts unknown to feed the missus.  Which seems to be back of two or three houses down.  And not long from now, they will of course bring the junior bluebirds here to eat, as they have for years.  That's it.  I sure would love to figure them out and keep the lot here, say, in that really nice bluebird on a post I put up expressly for them (!).  So we take what we get.  I won't complain a lot, after all, we do get bluebirds.  It's enough of a blessing.

Probably a Dud

The Colonial Williamsburg "bird bottle" is stuffed with nesting material.  Wrens have used it before (summer 2011.)  But are they actually using it?  Maybe not.  I have kept my eye on the bottle for two weeks and have seen absolutely no activity whatsoever.  I suspect we may have a dud here.  If true, the wrens either aborted their attempt: spooked by something.  Or, this was one of several demonstration models rejected by the prospective female tenant.  I may have to go up and clean the thing out if it is to be used this summer.  But patience is called for.  Maybe, just maybe something interesting will happen!

No House Wrens (?)

It can be strange to experience the peculiar shifting habits of nesting birds.  Last year, I had serious problems with pesky House Wrens filling the best nest boxes with their stack of twigs, and in one case hogging a bluebird box.  This year: two good boxes put to good use, and no wren nests anywhere I can tell.  They ignored all three of my premier boxes and probably ignored the remaining four.  I am delighted with these results: let my neighbors host the lousy wrens!   But doubt remains...will they eventually return in a later wave?

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!

Nuthatches Must Be Near Hatching

The White Breasted Nuthatches are well along in their first wave nesting in their favorite box.  I've seen the male feeding the female often in recent days, so she's clearly inclined to stay put.  She's also alert. I caught this photograph while checking for Jack in the Pulpits in the area below.  She didn't seem irritated, merely concerned.  Once I took the photo I backed off and left her in peace.  That visit also confirmed that the fledge hasn't taken place, and probably not the hatch either (else she'd be feeding the young).  So how long a wait?  Can't be more than a few more days.  We will be waiting!

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!

Mysterious Goings-On

We continue to watch the doings at our most popular nest box.  A pair of White Breasted Nuthatches has definitely taken up nesting activity, as they have for three continuous years. But it is unclear they've done much beyond making a nest.  I see both birds engaged in feeding activity.  Are there already hatchlings?  I suppose it is possible if a tad early.  What I can't bring myself to do is get into a position to investigate: I'm happy enough things have advanced as far as they have.  Perhaps we shall know more in a few weeks---or days.

Possible Nest Box Claimant

My bluebird box (on a post) has finally attracted some attention this spring.  I checked a few boxes today and found this collection of moss and lint: giving me the suspicion we have a Tufted Titmouse involved.  I have not seen any birds at or entering the box so can't be certain my diagnosis is right or that the nest hasn't been aborted.  I had really hoped for bluebirds but at this stage of the game they aren't playing and titmice beat House Wrens every day of the week (wrens took this over last year).  I'll be keeping an extra eye on things to see what comes.

Busy Nuthatches

We've been watching the White Breasted Nuthatches for the past week and it is clear they are well along in their first nest attempt effort for 2013.  One bird is in and out of the box constantly--the box this species has favored for three early springs in a row.  I can't discern whether we have hatchlings yet: I don't think so, but in past March was about the right time.  I sure would love to know what it is about this one box that attracts so many uses while other, similar boxes go begging.  It doesn't get that much sun, it's actually facing north, and isn't deep in woods.  Well, one must not be choosy.  The nuthatches at least find something acceptable here and that's a nice thing.  Now: when do we see fledglings? how many weeks?  Should be interesting!...

Goldfinch Season

It is (very) high summer here, and that's usually the tail end of most birds' nesting seasons, and for many of them, brood #2 or #3 at that.  However, our friend the American Goldfinch has only started.  They key off the asters that bloom deep in summer and which provide plentious oily seed.  I believe our most resident pair is in nesting as I see the male bird a good deal and in the last few days the female not at all.  And I am sure they are not nesting on this property.  Sometime in August I'll expect to see the oh-so-hungry young on the scene.  Sunflower consumption will spike!