The Merlin
Active member
Seems to have been rather slow. Just today I heard the first Great-crested Flycatcher of the season and the Eastern Bluebirds have finally returned about two weeks ago.
Eastern Bluebirds: After the Chickadees took control of Bluebox 1 I had to quickly take down Woodpeckerbox 4 and post it in a field next to my house. This so far appears to have worked as I checked it today and found 3'' of dry grass with an undeveloped cup in Blubox 4(previously Woodpeckerbox 4). I shouldn't immediatly label this as a Bluebird nest because it could be Flycathers nest, but the nest constuction doesn't appear to be that of Flycatcher.
Carolina Chickadees: This year is the first that Chickadees have nested in my boxes and they have taken up residence in Bluebox 1. Nest construction seemed to be rather quick, I believe only about a 10 days, and the nest consisted of small green vegagtion, cotton, some orange fabric, feathers and other various items. The oddity was that the nest had two cups??? Never have I seen this?? It now seems though that this may be a false nest, as I've seen with Tufted Titmice, cause no eggs have been laid in a week and I rarely see the birds at the box. Only once have they been in the box upon inspection. The condition of the nest changes with material being moved around constantly, but wether this is from the Chickadees or from other birds I have yet find to out.
Eastern Screech Owls: I'll start off with the Gray owls of Boo and Hoo. Boo after not being in my Owlboxs for most of the winter, finally returned about two weeks ago, but has since gone missing again?? She was staying in Owlbox 9 and was very scared of me, hopping back in the box when ever she saw me?? Ever since here disappearance Hoo has been in Owlbox 9 and I've wondered if perhaps they were in the box at the same time, but Hoo has constantly been at the hole of Owlbox 9, preventing me from inspecting the box. That was until today how ever as she wasn't at the hole so I decided to inspect the box. Upon inspection however the window jammed half open so I wasn't able to see inside the entire box, but what I did see was what appeared to be a very angry Hoo!! I sounded as if she was "beak-snapping" at me was making other defensive posturing like raising her wings at me, as well as looking straight at me thru the window!!! Hoo is one very brave, but friendly owl and it will be interesting to see how she acts around me now after this encounter?? Also her behavior leads me to suspect that she maybe getting ready to lay eggs, so I must keep a watchful eye on her to see if she comes to the hole at all during the day.
Now to the Reds, Red the male has been consistently staying in Owlbox 9 for about a month while his mate Screech appears to be searching for a nesting Box. Last week I found her in Owlbox 1 and today I found her in Owlbox 4, it appears as if she is no longer coming to the hole of the boxes during the day, a sure sign of nesting behavior. In niether of the inspections of the boxes she was in, did she see me looking at her thru the window so, the windows are proving affective!! I will continue watching her closely for when she does find a nesting box, as with the new windows I hope to be able to check the progression of the chicks more often and with less incident, a major sore spot last year.
:bounce:
:t: :king:
Eastern Bluebirds: After the Chickadees took control of Bluebox 1 I had to quickly take down Woodpeckerbox 4 and post it in a field next to my house. This so far appears to have worked as I checked it today and found 3'' of dry grass with an undeveloped cup in Blubox 4(previously Woodpeckerbox 4). I shouldn't immediatly label this as a Bluebird nest because it could be Flycathers nest, but the nest constuction doesn't appear to be that of Flycatcher.
Carolina Chickadees: This year is the first that Chickadees have nested in my boxes and they have taken up residence in Bluebox 1. Nest construction seemed to be rather quick, I believe only about a 10 days, and the nest consisted of small green vegagtion, cotton, some orange fabric, feathers and other various items. The oddity was that the nest had two cups??? Never have I seen this?? It now seems though that this may be a false nest, as I've seen with Tufted Titmice, cause no eggs have been laid in a week and I rarely see the birds at the box. Only once have they been in the box upon inspection. The condition of the nest changes with material being moved around constantly, but wether this is from the Chickadees or from other birds I have yet find to out.
Eastern Screech Owls: I'll start off with the Gray owls of Boo and Hoo. Boo after not being in my Owlboxs for most of the winter, finally returned about two weeks ago, but has since gone missing again?? She was staying in Owlbox 9 and was very scared of me, hopping back in the box when ever she saw me?? Ever since here disappearance Hoo has been in Owlbox 9 and I've wondered if perhaps they were in the box at the same time, but Hoo has constantly been at the hole of Owlbox 9, preventing me from inspecting the box. That was until today how ever as she wasn't at the hole so I decided to inspect the box. Upon inspection however the window jammed half open so I wasn't able to see inside the entire box, but what I did see was what appeared to be a very angry Hoo!! I sounded as if she was "beak-snapping" at me was making other defensive posturing like raising her wings at me, as well as looking straight at me thru the window!!! Hoo is one very brave, but friendly owl and it will be interesting to see how she acts around me now after this encounter?? Also her behavior leads me to suspect that she maybe getting ready to lay eggs, so I must keep a watchful eye on her to see if she comes to the hole at all during the day.
Now to the Reds, Red the male has been consistently staying in Owlbox 9 for about a month while his mate Screech appears to be searching for a nesting Box. Last week I found her in Owlbox 1 and today I found her in Owlbox 4, it appears as if she is no longer coming to the hole of the boxes during the day, a sure sign of nesting behavior. In niether of the inspections of the boxes she was in, did she see me looking at her thru the window so, the windows are proving affective!! I will continue watching her closely for when she does find a nesting box, as with the new windows I hope to be able to check the progression of the chicks more often and with less incident, a major sore spot last year.
:bounce:
:t: :king:
