duck house

We put up a nesting box for ducks last Spring, especially Hooded Mergansers. 

It was too late for nesting season, but I read that sometimes they scout out in the autumn a place to nest next Spring. 

We hope this female is scouting!

nest box Tree Swallows

Tree Swallows nest in cavities . . . old woodpecker holes in trees, or nest boxes.  They do not go far south in winter; they return to Minnesota before any other swallows.  They can eat plant foods, so they can survive before the insects come out.  In the nest box near the pond, the Tree Swallow laid one egg each day in the last six days.  She started incubating the eggs today.  They will hatch in 11 to 20 days.

And the Tree Swallow male stands by to guard the nest while the female incubates the eggs. 

merganser with 4 young

 

On 5/20/2022 we peeked into the nest box, and found several eggs. Not countable, because of the feathers in the box meant to hide the eggs from predators. Since then I have peeked several times more.

The female adult was incubating the eggs.  I noticed the adults going in and out of the box on June 3 since  the eggs had hatched and they were bringing food to the hatchlings.  After two weeks in the box the nestlings had grown enough so they were full size and had gained some flight feathers.  On June 21 most young fledged out of the box, ready to learn how to fly and hunt for their own food: flying insects.

On June 22 the adults coaxed the last young bird to fly.  A few days later, we saw 3 of them perching on a branch looking over the pond.

tree swallow, first of 2021

Migration brings something new each day!  We saw several Tree Swallows, actively aerial hunting over the pond for any flying insects they could eat.  One checked out the nestbox where a pair raised a clutch of eggs successfully last year.  They moved on, but the box is ready in nesting season for Bluebirds or Tree Swallows making their way here.

out of the nest box

When young songbirds are grown enough to leave the nest, it may be an hours-long process for the parents and the young.

We've been watching the Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor for four days, thinking it would happen soon.

This afternoon the parents started flying at the nest box without any food items, teasing the young birds to come out of the nest.  Finally, they did.  It is amazing to see a creature take its first flight.

This little Tree Swallow is leaping out into air for the first time, nose down and spreading his wings with new strong feathers to fly with the big guys.  But he flopped to the ground, flapped his wings a few times, then took off again successfully.

Now, the parents will teach the young birds to hunt for insects on their own. We may see them flying together over the pond.

dragonflies for lunch

On 7/18 we thought the Tree Swallows might be ready to leave the nestbox.  But they have not fledged yet.  The adults are still regularly feeding the three nestlings.  And they are bringing bigger food items as the young ones grow.  Today both parents kept up a continuous delivery of meals to the nestbox, including several dragonflies.  Two little birds were hanging out of the slot above the "door" hoping to get the prize, while the third one was inside the door.  The parents feed the young from dawn until dusk, bringing flies, beetles, ants, mayflies, spiders, grasshoppers, damselflies, and dragonflies.

hatched Tree Swallows

Yesterday, the three eggs in the Tree Swallow nest were arranged carefully on a bed of white fine feathers (above).  The long feathers upright around the cup are placed carefully by the female adult to hide the eggs from predators. This morning, the eggs were hatched (below).  The 3 baby birds look like pink wriggling gummy worms. They have no feathers and cannot control their movements, so they flop around until one of the parents will bring a food item.  Then the babies will ‘gape’ their beak open to receive food.

The Tree Swallow pair return to the branch over the pond every day.  When she is in the nestbox, he sits on the branch to keep watch on her and their eggs.  Sometimes she joins him there. They can survey their territory, chase away intruders, and spy food items flying by.  Or, just sit close together.  On occasion, he sings to her.  She has been incubating eggs for 11 days.  They will hatch any day.

eggs

Each day, Tree Swallows fly above the pond looking like they are doing aerial acrobats for our amazement.  In reality, they are eating -- feeding on flying insects.  So adept in the air, they eat and drink while flying, and rarely spend any time on the ground.  Unlike other swallows, they nest in old woodpecker cavities or human-built boxes. A pair settled in the bluebird box near the pond and started their clutch of eggs.  Each is less than an inch long, white, and oval.  The female places shed feathers from herself and other birds in the nest grass to hide the eggs until she is is ready to incubate them all.

Tree Swallow pairing

Several Tree Swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, are flying around above the pond, estimating the area as a food resource.  They also checked in to the two nestboxes here.  We think they approve, signaled by them placing a few grasses in the boxes.

wrens

Several House Wrens Troglodytes aedon have invaded the wild wild woods.
Only about 4.5 inches long, they are tiny melodious singers in the trees.

But in an effort to please his mate, a male will fill several boxes or tree cavities with small twigs, preventing other species from using those nesting sites.

The female Wren will choose one twig-filled cavity or nestbox and place soft material at the bottom.  The twigs create a scaffold that serves as a shield against predators. In her chosen hideaway, she will lay a clutch of eggs.

juvenile Bluebird

This little Eastern Bluebird comes from the first clutch of eggs laid and hatched in the nestbox.  The adults have started clutch number two with eggs in the nest.

first egg Eastern Bluebirds 2017

feathered nest

Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor, who line their nests with found feathers, fledged their five young out of the nestbox a few days ago.  This is what I found when clearing out the box.  I clean and save such feathers, then put them out again in Springtime for the next nesting season. Some birds place colored or shiny items in their nest . . . wire, yarn, ribbons, etc.

This collection included a little blue sparkly hair pin! 

Downy woodpeckers and squirrel

The Downy Woodpecker parents are busy feeding the young birds in their tree cavity nest.  Every few minutes, one of them brings a worm or bug to the young.  At least one is now strong enough to climb up the inside wall of the cavity and beg for more food.  Here, the male gives a worm to the hatchling.

 When the adult birds are away, a red squirrel comes by to see if he can peek in.

 

Downy Woodpeckers feeding young

The pair of Downy Woodpeckers, seen on May 15 excavating a nest cavity in the wild wild woods, have successfully hatched their clutch of 6 eggs.  For the last several days, they spent many hours hunting for small insects and worms to feed their young.  Sometimes hunting is good; they have to line up and take turns delivering the meals.  For protection from intruders, these small birds purposely create a cozy cavity with an opening just big enough for them to squeeze through.

peek inside a nest

A pair of Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor are nesting in one of several nest boxes near the wild wild woods.  Today she laid the third egg.  She is not yet incubating them, but keeps guard at the box opening all day. 

feeding baby birds

In a corner of the woods, hidden in one of several nest boxes, a mother Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atrcapillus feeds her young nestlings.  As soon as they hear her land at the opening, each "gapes" as wide as possible to get fed the most.  What is she feeding them?  Mostly insects and small worms . . . for protein to grow fast.  They need to be able to fly in just a week or so!

furnishing a nestbox: House Wren

 

A House Wren Troglodytes aedon carries twigs, one at a time, to a nest box.

The male works until he fills the box with twigs, leaving a small cup or cavity. 

The female adds soft grasses, fur, feathers, and junk to line the cup where she will lay her eggs.

 Below, we peek inside another nest box containing a cozy nest for seven wren eggs.

The female will incubate the eggs for about 2 weeks.