Early nest build... (1 Viewer)

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StevieEvans

Well-known member

• Dec 12, 2003

• #1

The past few days in NE England have been fresh & frosty, but not so cold as to dissuade the Missel Thrush from broadcasting his flutey tune, from the tip of the tall Poplar, his Holly-berry supply safely beneath him

Nearby another loud voice impacts the still raw air. The Dipper pair are beneath their favourite bridge, a huge black iron Victorian structure, which amplifies the song inspite of the bubbling & tumbling white waters.

Over the lake the mornings mist is dispersing as ripples spread out from the amorous adult drake Goosanders, as they display & chase, outmanouvering & dominating the redhead birds. The early morning sun catching on their salmon pink flanks, as they haul out onto the bankside to preen.

3 drab grebes are spending the winter at home, it will be a few more months before they are once again resplendant in their coloured great crests. Previously the grebes departed every year from Nov-Feb, but that was 10 years ago & winters mild even to allow them to reside throughout....

The nest builder....not one of the above, nor Magpie or Rook, but an ambitious Water-hen!
Though its doubtful if he'll complete his job if the wind swings to come in from further North-east....which it will !

Stevie

 

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smeltmill

Well-known member

• Dec 12, 2003

• #2

Dear Stevie,

Thank you for the enjoyable post. It is a shocker of a day here so a roaring fire beacons accompanied by the delights of “The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Northumbria”

Regards.
G B-S.

 

Nightranger

Senior Moment

• Dec 12, 2003

• #3

Hi Stevie,

I am interested in this form of behaviour because it is surprisingly little documented. Many birds are known to build a demonstration nest at this time of the year as a prelude to pair-bonding for next spring. In tree sparrows, the demonstration nest is sometimes used as a winter roost but most nests are abandoned soon after construction. A moorhen will probably use the nest as a way of marking territory that has recently been established. I am not certain if this has been proven definitively but many of the demonstration nests are probably built by juveniles from this year.

 

desgreene

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2004

• #4

Hi,

I've been watching a Magpie starting to build a nest this afternoon. If it is part of a courtship display it was not all that impressive, as it took all afternoon to arrange about 4 or 5 twigs.
The other thing of note was that there is already a perfectly good Magpie nest from last year in the same tree. It will be interesting to see if it fully completes the new nest.

Des.

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Jan 3, 2004

• #5

desgreene said:

The other thing of note was that there is already a perfectly good Magpie nest from last year in the same tree.

Click to expand...

Hi Des,

It isn't perfectly good - it'll be full of fleas and lice and so on left over from when it was last in use! That's why most birds normally build a new nest.

Michael

 

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cuddy

Brian Robson

• Jan 3, 2004

• #6

Michael would the lice and fleas survive the cold , as i thought they might be killed off in harsh winter weather?

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Jan 3, 2004

• #7

Hi Cuddy,

As far as I know they survive the winter as eggs which hatch out in spring to infest any bird that visits. The adult fleas & lice would be killed.

Michael

 

desgreene

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2004

• #8

Hi,
Good point Michael, I hadn't considered that.
How unusual is the early nest building in itself? Having said that, at the rate he's going it will probably be spring before it's finished anyway

Des.

 

tom tams

Well-known member

• Jan 3, 2004

• #9

Hi ,
I have a Collared Dove nest building in a leylandii tree , he's been busy for the last two days.

Tom

 

C

cuddy

Brian Robson

• Jan 3, 2004

• #10

Old nests are often reused by other species, are they unaware of parasites?

Hello Tom All the best for 2004, hope to see you around.

Brian.

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Jan 3, 2004

• #11

Hi Cuddy,

Maybe there's times where the importance of getting a nest quickly, or the energy cost of building a new one, outweighs the parasite risks? And perhaps some birds are more efficient at removing parasites by preening than others? Don't know for sure, but I'd guess hirundines would have to be pretty good at parasite removal as they do often re-use nests. Magpies almost always build a new nest, re-use is known, but very rare.

Michael

 

christineredgate

Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th

• Jan 3, 2004

• #12

What about swallows,they return to the same nesting sites and the nests are still there,year after year.Perhaps because they are built of clay and mud there is nothing for the parasites to live on.Am I right in guessing swallows are hirundines,I only have the handbook here at the side of me and it doesn't mention hirundines near the swallows name.
Christine.

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Jan 3, 2004

• #13

Yep, hirundines = swallows + martins. Look at the Latin name of the Swallow

(or even more relevant, the family name at the top of the page!)

Michael

 

tom tams

Well-known member

• Jan 4, 2004

• #14

Hi Brian,
will be out and about this year thats for sure, hope to find a mega for Northumberland ?

 

seb_seb

Well-known member

• Jan 4, 2004

• #15

Early nest builder> Last year i remember seeing a Mistle Thrush taking twigs to a Wild Cherry tree on the side of the road while there was snow on the ground.

 

Nightranger

Senior Moment

• Jan 4, 2004

• #16

High infestations are a problem for Hirundines but the actual lining of the nest is probably replaced when the birds arrive back in the UK. Nevertheless, 2nd and 3rd broods can be badly affected as parasite numbers build up. Swifts have it even worse and Derek Bromhall's excellent "Devil Birds" gives a good account of this problem. No wonder swifts only stay for a single brood.

 

Nightranger

Senior Moment

• Jan 4, 2004

• #17

Collared doves can potentially breed throughout the year like our friendly neighbourhood pigeon. In fact, all the pigeons can potentially breed throughout the year and it is likely that temperature is the cue for nest building whereas it seems to be day length for blue tits. This means that pigeons stop breeding in autumn for the moult and as a behavioural means to build up body weight for the winter. However, if the temperature remains high in December and January, they will certainly attempt to nest again. Many of the attempts will fail because of the likelihood of freezing weather in January and February and possibly even snow. There were some good records of blackbird an robin successes last year and it remains to be seen whether the trend will repeat in 2004.