Feathers and Fuzz

one woman's cure for the empty-nester blues

Feathers

Creative Nesting appears to be the key phrase for 2019

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Creative Nesting:  Eastern Phoebe

The 2019 nesting season kicked off with the Phoebe's creative nesting site atop the camera intended to film her nesting activities.  As I mentioned in my last post, I don't know if this choice was based on the 2018 snake encounter.  Perhaps the multi-week turf battle with the Carolina Wrens contributed.

Creative Nesting:  House Finch

A second House Finch pair decided to move in this year.  They chose to nest atop a column on the third floor -- some 40' above ground.  I confirmed the presence of eggs, and took a still photo, but have decided not to place a camera nearby.  There is no scientific evidence to support that the heat from my cameras draws a rat snake to a nest site.  Nonetheless, I don't want to take any chances of increasing the risk in locations where no cameras were previously installed.

Spring Nesting 2019
Creative Nesting: Finch

Creative Nesting:  Carolina Chickadee

A Carolina Chickadee pair picked up on the creative nesting theme after one of the male Bluebirds apparently decided NONE of the other bird houses within his view would be occupied.  A small, adobe bird house has hung on the wall outside my breakfast area for years.  The only residents, until now, have been hornets.  While I observed Momma Chickadee occasionally moving in and out of this house, it is only today I can confirm she is indeed nesting there as she was seen leaving at first light this morning.  Affectionately, I have named her "Adobe Chick".

Creative Nesting: Chickadee
Adobe Chick

Coming Up ...

I'll bring you pictures in the next post confirming 7 Bluebird nestlings and 4 Finch nestlings.  Soon, we will have migration photos as this guy heralds spring really is here!

Spring Nesting 2019 is in Full Swing at The Retreat

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I think we might actually be leaving winter behind here in Georgia and Spring Nesting 2019 is in full swing.  It was concerning to see so many birds build nests and produce eggs when night time temps were dropping into the low 30's, but the mommas wisely snuggled their eggs after dark ...

Spring Nesting 2019

Momma Finch

Spring Nesting 2019

Momma Bluebird (West)

Spring Nesting 2019

Momma Bluebird (North)

Will I Ever Learn I Don't Have Control?

The answer to this questions appears to be "No," but apparently I'm going to keep working at it.

As you may recall, I was surprised the Phoebes would show interest in re-building on the platform after last summer's snake attack.  Nonetheless, I chased the Carolina Wrens away to respect the Phoebes' interest in returning to their annual nest site.

Yeah ... Momma Phoebe showed me who's boss.  The photo shows her beautifully-created nest mudded to the top of the camera pointing at Phoebe Place.  In other words, there will be no camera peering into the Phoebe nest this year.

I'm getting used to a failure.

Spring Nesting 2019

Phoebe Nest on Top of Camera

I will bring you more updates on spring nesting 2019 in the next post.  What I will tell you for now is that we have two active Bluebird nests ... each with 4 eggs, and two active House Finch nests ... each with 5 eggs. Oh, and there's one active Phoebe nest ... only SHE knows how many eggs.  Stinker!