nesting success in the wild woods

Nestwatching has kept us busy, even more so once the hatchlings left the nests. Eastern Bluebirds, Downy Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Cardinals, Chickadees, House Wrens, Robins, Tree Swallows, Goldfinches, and House Finches -- all brought young birds to our various feeder stations this summer.

Bluebird hatchlings, day 5

In the open space near the wild woods, a pair of Eastern Bluebirds settled in one of the nestboxes. They produced five eggs; four hatched on May 26. We have not seen the male adult since a few days before then. The female is doing her best to feed all four hatchlings with worms, moths, and dragonflies. We try to help by putting out mealworms.

nesting downy woodpeckers

The "woodpecker" tree, on the south edge of the wild woods, is home to a pair of downy woodpeckers and their young. No clue yet to the number of hatchlings inside, but both adults are busy each day carrying worms and bugs to them. These may be the same downies we saw all winter as we surveyed for FeederWatch http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw

along the woodland path

 

Jack in the Pulpit

A quiet meander through the wild woods will bring you to the area where Jack-in-the-Pulpit blooms silently in the dappled light.

nestbox in transition

The 7 Chickadee eggs hatched on time, 5/5. The adult female tried her best to feed them all. Although the very warm Spring must have encouraged her to start early, a week of cold nights and the mysterious absence of the adult male left her on her own. She hunted and fed her hatchlings; we helped with mealworms from the pet store. But none of the chicks survived.  Now, a pair of House Wrens admire the empty nestbox.

After they put in a few twigs, the Chickadee came back for one last peek.

burning bush blooms

The "Burning Bush" Euonymus alatus is in bloom. In summer, when all green, its easy to forget how spectacular this shrub is -- pinky red leaves in autumn, then lovely tiny flower clusters in spring.

future chickadees

The front nest box is occupied by Chickadees. The female began laying eggs April 17, hiding them under the fluff lining her grass nest cup. On April 24, she arranged 7 eggs atop the fluff and began incubating them.

nestboxes ready

We are ready for the bird nesting season, with cameras giving us the possibility for a close view in 7 nestsites. This is a PVC tube converted into a "snag box" that offers the kind of cavity preferred by several species, including Black-capped Chickadees. Once the tree leafs out, the tube will be an inviting secluded spot for a nesting pair.

We'll participate again this summer in NestWatch http://www.nestwatch.org/ , helping to observe and document the impact of environmental change on bird populations.

peanut log

A gift! This log, with carefully drilled holes to hold nuts and positioned at the edge of our woods, is a new treat for the birds.

woodpecker tree

Even though this tree lost branches in the past, its remains still stand as an attraction for the four varieties of Woodpeckers that live in our woods.

dogwood

The Cardinal Dogwoods have been a vibrant show all winter against the white snow. With warmer weather the bark will turn golden and green leaves will appear.

sprouts for lunch

The elm trees are acknowledging Springtime with burgeoning leaf buds. The finches regard the buds as delectable sprouts. No need to nibble on stale boxelder seeds when such fresh fare becomes plentiful.

Boxelder breakfast

The grey squirrels nibble on the seed pods hanging in the Boxelder tree. When he leans out to where the branch is too thin to support his weight, the squirrel becomes a gymnast to reach breakfast.

Woodpeckers on suet

As the days get longer, some of the birds that were gregarious cooperative participants in the local "guild" of birds all winter are showing up at the feeders in pairs. Unlike in the very cold weather when they had to help each other find food and keep warm, now they are beginning to define territories.
The Downy woodpecker pair (above) and the larger Hairy woodpecker (below) will probably select their nest sites in the next three or four weeks. Meanwhile, they appreciate the suet feeders.

bird tracks: snow angel

Near sunset.


We admired the bird tracks
in the snow zig-zagging
beneath the feeder.


I wonder what maneuver
made the wings on this
snow angel?

winter moon in sunlight

Cold clear blue January sky glowing behind crisp branches
making a frame for winter moon.

pileated woodpeckers

A pair of pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) live in our wild woods. They are very secretive so we have not located their nest or roost hole. Over the last few weeks we've seen them at the suet blocks every few days. Nearly 18 inches long, the male is big enough to tilt the "barn" feeder as he hangs on it. This afternoon, as the wind chills dipped, the female hung on a big tree and fluffed up her feathers to stay warm.

elated chickadee

We put up a new "tray" feeder on a pole near the "barn" seed dispenser and suet cages.

The chickadees seem to love the new offerings!

Flicker

We've seen a single Northern Flicker several times recently at the suet block and scavenging along tree bark in our wild woods.

fluffy warm

As the temperatures drop, the birds fluff up their feathers to increase insulating qualities.

winter guild

This year, the guild of birds wintering together in the wild woods includes this chickadee and the two northern cardinals behind it, all waiting in the brambles for their turn at the seed feeder.

frosty

Heavy frost on the grass this morning . . . this gray squirrel sat on a snag tree in the sun with toes around the branch, eyes not fully open, tail up wrapped along his back extending to his ears. Cozy.

burning bush

One of the brightest autumn jewels on the edge of the wild woods -- "burning bush" Euonymus alatus.

the battle for black chokeberries

A group of Eastern Bluebirds Sialia Sialis, darted in and out of the Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa bushes. Surmising these bluebirds might be the two broods that fledged out of our nestbox this summer plus the adults, we smiled and watched as they flew around at the edge of the woods. Then, as the bluebirds moved off towards the cattails, a flock of Cedar Waxwings Bombycilla cedrorum appeared and settled in to savor the black leathery chokeberries. Their grey and buff coloring might help them go unnoticed, but their yellow tail-tips were bright accents among the burnished chokeberry leaves.