It’s April, 12 and we have a good bit of action going on in our six nest boxes here at the Museum. All but one nest box is occupied, having a total of 27 eggs. There are 15 bluebird eggs and 12 chickadee eggs. All of those eggs are being incubated at this time.

The Cow Pasture nest, as it had last week, holds five bluebird eggs.The female flew out of the nest box as I approached.

The nest box next to the “Take Off” Bungee Jump is doing well with its six Carolina chickadee eggs. The female watched me approach from the entrance hole of the box, waiting till the last minute before taking off.

There’s no activity in the Sailboat Pond nest. It had the makings of a chickadee nest two weeks ago, but a bumble bee and group of ants moved in. One chickadee egg had been deposited and was found broken inside the nest last week.

As in all of the nests, the adult chickadee in the nest box at the Amphimeadow flew out as I came in close to open the box for a peek inside. She was incubating six eggs.

Off to the Woodland nest. This nest contains five bluebird eggs.

And finally, the Butterfly House nest box. Last week this nest contained three eggs. It now has five and they are being incubated.

So, with a total of 27 eggs, 15 bluebird (3 nests) and 12 chickadee (2 nests), and with the females incubating, I expect to see lots of near-naked and blind hatchlings with orange gaping mouths greeting me next week when I look inside these nest boxes.

I can’t wait!

Ranger, Greg Dodge