To Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. We have, as we did last week, four nests with eggs. All the eggs were being incubated, that is, there was an adult bird in the nest sitting on the eggs when the inspection door was opened. Egg counts in the nests were the same as last week indicating the females are done laying. ——————————— The Cow pasture nest box is empty. The Explore the Wild nest has 5 chickadee eggs which were being incubatedRead more
Posts tagged: #nest box
Nest Box Update 4.1.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. We now have five nest boxes with nest material inside their cedar walls. One of those nests contains bluebird eggs. One has a new chickadee nest. One is still empty. ————————— The Cow Pasture nest box is empty with no activity noticed in the area on any of the past five weeks of nest box inspections. Chickadees have built a moss, fur, and feather nest in the box at Explore the Wild. ETW nest boxRead more
Tree Swallows Arrive
Top Photo: Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) sits atop new nest box built with the swallow in mind. Ever since our new tree swallow nest box was installed in our wetland (2.28.25) I’ve been waiting for tree swallows to return from their wintering sites along the North and Central American coasts. For the past several days we’ve had at least two pairs of the insect eating aerialists sorting out who is going to use the nest box. Not only that, they’veRead more
A New House for the Tree Swallows
Top Photo: New tree swallow nest box in wetlands. For the past three years we’ve had tree swallows nesting in a nest box meant for waterfowl, wood ducks or hooded mergansers to be specific. That’s fine. We welcome all birds. In fact, great crested flycatchers have used the box in the past, as well as the intended wood ducks. We discourage mammals such as raccoons. Those wily creatures have used one of our wood duck nest boxes in the pastRead more
Merganser in the Wetlands
Top Photo: Some of the fourteen hooded mergansers in the wetlands at the end of December. From mid-November to about the middle of April hooded mergansers are a common sight in our wetlands. Some days you may see a lone merg in the pond and other days there may be a dozen or more. The birds fly back and forth between local area ponds. But unless the pond is frozen over there’s bound to be a merganser or two presentRead more
Nest Box Final Count 6.18.24/6.25.24
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. The last nest with birds has emptied, all the birds have fledged. There are new berry baskets in each of our six nest boxes in case a bluebird, chickadee or even a house wren decides to give it another go. But, it’s late in the season and though we’ve gone into August in years past, it doesn’t seem as though it will happen this year. I see no new nest under construction, though one nestRead more
Little Bear and Some Late Spring Encounters
Top Photo: Little Bear by the waterfall. Little Bear’s pelage stands out among our three black bears occupying the Black Bear Enclosure. The following are subjects you might encounter on our Outdoor Loop Trail in late spring to early summer, now. Two very common and widespread dragonflies, common whitetail and eastern amberwing are sure to be seen on any sunny day. Not as frequently seen but still common are Carolina saddlebags. They spend much of their time on the wing.Read more
Nest Box Update 6.4.24
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. We have eight bluebird nestlings in two separate nests. Four of our nest boxes are empty with no activity. — The Cow Pasture, Explore the Wild, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East nest boxes are all empty, but ready to go should any local avian cavity nesters feel the urge. Last week I predicted that the five bluebird nestlings in the nest box on the west side of the parking deck will have fledgedRead more
Nest Box Update 5.14.24
Top Photo: eastern bluebird eggs. Of our six nest boxes, three hold bluebird eggs, two, five, and three for a total of ten eggs. The other three nest boxes are empty. — The Cow Pasture nest box still contains two bluebird eggs. There have been two eggs in this nest since at least April 30’s inspection of the nest boxes, two weeks ago. These eggs should have hatched. I’ve not seen adult bluebirds in the area. Has this nest beenRead more