The Red-winged Blackbird nest is hidden in vegetation at the far end of the pond. The female was in the nest when I approached. The male adult protested my presence there, flying over my head while squawking loudly. He brushed against my hat several times to make sure I knew he was serious.
Hidden in marsh vegetation, the female had built a sturdy cup of grass a few feet out from the shore. Suspended above the water and lashed to stiff standing reeds from last season, the nest is purposely hard to reach. She had built it of grass, reeds, leaves, rootlets, and lined it with fine grass. While I watched, she only squashed down further in the nest to hide her eggs.
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus typically have 3 or 4 eggs in a clutch, and they may have a second clutch each season.
