Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs.

We have four active nests, three belong to Carolina chickadees, and one is maintained by eastern bluebirds. One other nest box has had nesting material placed inside by a bluebird but has been inactive for the past month. One box is empty.

——————————

There’s no activity at the Cow Pasture nest box. There’s been no sign of interest by either chickadees or bluebirds. An empty berry basket is what we’ve seen each week we checked the box.

After finding a finished chickadee nest in the Explore the Wild nest box last week, there are now five chickadee eggs in the nest. Quick work by the little parids.

The sailboat Pond nest box has gone through changes over the past several weeks. It started as a bluebird nest, then became a chickadee nest. It then looked as though a bluebird had been rearranging the nest material to suit its kind. It is now settled, chickadees have deposited 3 eggs in the nest. It’s theirs to keep (barring house wren interference).

There is as of yet only three eggs in the nest, so we’ll have to wait till next week to determine if the female is done laying.

This nest, Into the Mist, like the one at the Sailboat Pond has had chickadee additions in the form of fur and feathers to what had been a finished bluebird nest. The chickadees that placed that material into the bluebird nest have taken this nest for their own. It now has five chickadee eggs in the bottom of the cup.

The Parking Deck East nest box had a female sitting on eggs when the inspection door was opened. Whether or not she was incubating or about to lay another egg will have to wait til next week. There are now 4 eggs in the nest as compared with 3 last week.

The Parking Deck West nest box has seen little or no action for the past month.

———————————

So, we have three active chickadee nests (Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, and Into the Mist) for a total of 13 chickadee eggs. There is only one nest with bluebird eggs (Parking Deck East) and it contains 4 eggs.

See you next week!

Ranger Greg