nest box peek

Peeking into the nest box . . . 

Tree Swallows lay eggs and 
disguise them by sticking feathers 
barb-down so the fluffy vanes curl over the contents of the nest.

In this photo, we can see a few white eggs among the soft grasses in the bottom of the nest box.
 

nestlings

In one of the nestboxes today, these three baby Tree Swallows wait for another meal. Two of them are 'gaping' -- opening their beaks to receive food items from the parents.  The babies hatched out of their eggshells just seven days ago, weak and bare except for a bit of fuzz. In the week, they grew a layer of down feathers and some of the 'contour feathers' that will cover their body. In another week each will look fully feathered. But they also need to develop their strong wing feathers before they can fly.  Tree Swallow young are usually ready to fledge out of the nest by the time they are three weeks old.  (see 6/27 and 7/3)

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.

red-winged blackbirds hatched

The female Red-winged Blackbird has been constantly hunting and making frequent trips back to her nest.  This signaled to me that her eggs have hatched.  This species usually lays 2 to 4 eggs per brood.  Sure, enough, there are three chicks in the nest.  They look out-of-focus because, while the other material in the frame is still, the new babies are fuzzy and wriggling.  Their beaks are pointed to lower left in this photo.

With help of tall boots and a pole for my camera, I was able to peer into the reeds and see the beauty of her architecture skills.  Blackbirds wind stringy plant material around several upright stems, then weave in a platform of coarse, wet vegetation. She adds more wet material to shape a cup, plastering the inside with mud. To protect her babies, she lines the cup with fine, dry grasses.

Tree Swallow nest

One nest box in the wild wild woods is being used by Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor this year.  Yesterday there were two eggs clearly visible, today maybe three.  Tree Swallows poke feathers into the grass structure of their nest to hide the eggs, so it is hard to tell for sure.  Usually they lay 4 to 7 eggs per clutch.  Today while I was monitoring the cam, the adult perched at the opening and kept poking her head in to check on her nest.

first egg Eastern Bluebirds 2017

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!

NestWatch

NestWatch! 
Several nest boxes are in the yard and woods, waiting for cavity-nesting birds.  Each box has a small video cam so we can watch the nest without disturbing the birds. 
In this box a thick layer of moss was installed; then we saw grasses being laid in, re-arranged daily. The chickadee evidently laid her eggs over the past week, burying each one deep under the grass away from predators. Today, she started incubating them by gathering all seven and sitting close on them. A short flight outside revealed this treasure.

NestWatch: 7 Wren nestlings

One of the nestboxes we watch is used this Spring by House Wrens Troglodytes aedon.  Seven eggs hatched on June 8.  Today the cam recorded the adults feeding three times within two minutes.  The adult Wren is only 4.5 to 5 inches long.  She feeds spiders, beetles, caterpillars, earwigs, flies and other insects to her tiny hatchlings.  (MP4 video)

In this video, you can see the wriggling legs of the insects she brings in.  Wrens keep their nests clean; they wait for the young birds to expel a fecal sac (birdie diaper, poop bag).  Until the young birds are 4 or 5 days old, the parents may eat the sacs since the baby's digestive tracts are not very efficient and the sacs may still contain nutrition.  Later, they'll carry them away from the box and drop them. This way, the nest lining stays clean and healthy for the crowded clutch of young Wrens.

Eastern Bluebird babies

Eastern Bluebirds hatched five babies in a nestbox near the wild wild woods.  Both parents feed them worms, flies, damselflies, and other insects of all sizes.  Here, one little bird tries to swallow the big bug he got for breakfast.

nest cams ready

Nest cameras are ready in the wild wild woods! This is one camera's view into a wooden nest box from the inside of the roof, looking down.

The birds are singing, defining their territories, and looking for mates.  I cleaned out three wooden nest boxes at the woods' edge, and three pvc nesting tubes in the woods.

They all look as barren inside as this one but will soon be stuffed with an assortment of twigs, grasses, fur, fluff, string, and feathers for nesting.

nestwatch 2013

The first nest we've spotted in the wild wild woods this Spring is in a nestbox.  A Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus is sitting on eggs.

She has cleverly hidden them among a deep mattress of moss lined with fur and feathers she scavenged from other critters the woods. It looks like there are seven eggs, but there may be more we cannot see.






There is tiny camera in the roof of this nestbox, so we can peek in every few days.  We always visit the nests quietly so we do not disturb the birds, and try not to leave a trail for predators to follow.

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.

bluebirds - winged lunch

The bluebird hatchlings are nearly as big as their parents, and showing off their feathers. The adults are now bringing larger and more interesting items for meals. Especially interesting on delivery are the delicious orthopterans, like this grasshopper, still kicking.

bluebirds - brood 2, day 7

Feeding time is ever amazing in the bluebird nest box. We were watching while the female was in the box with 4 hatchlings; the male brought a long worm to the entrance. The worm resisted the handoff, and the female bluebird had trouble grasping it. She left the box and the male brought the worm back in to feed his youngsters. It took him a few tries, but he did succeed. This would be a challenge for any marksman: stuff a writhing worm into the gape of a wobbly-headed baby bird. These parents are doing a good job -- all 4 hatchlings seem to be thriving.

chickadee - 8 eggs

We used the plans from NestWatch to emulate a "tree snag" nestbox using a PVC tube. A pair of chickadees found it quite cozy and built a nest inside. Monitoring the snag box for NestWatch, we noted on May 23 their clutch of 8 eggs.

Lights, Cameras, Action

The wild woods adjacent to our garden is full of critters and photo opportunities. With expertise in still and video photography, Bill is my resource for digital, electronic, mechanical, and other technical systems to observe and document the wonders in our wild woods.