There’s been both hatchings and fledgings this week. Nine birds have hatched and 8 birds have fledged. The number of hatchlings has no doubt increased as I write. Earlier this morning there were 5 unhatched eggs in the nests with newly hatched nestlings. I’m sure more have hatched in the four hours since I checked the boxes. I heard the ominous sound of a house wren as I approached the nest box at the Cow Pasture. House wrens are notoriousRead more
Posts tagged: #nest box
Nest Box Update 4.24.18
This week’s inspection came out all positive. There are hatchlings, new eggs, and two nests have seen a rejuvenation. There were hungry mouths to greet me as I peered into the nest box at the Cow Pasture. Although the nest previously had 6 eggs, I could only make out 5 nestlings. There may have been one chickadee nestling under the mass of blind, naked parids that lay before me but I couldn’t see it. They’ll still be in the nestRead more
Nest Box Update 3.28.18
We’re on the move. All of our nest boxes have seen some sort of activity the past week. Three bluebird nests are underway, two chickadee nests, and one nest box has had been modified slightly by some unknown entity. The nest box at the Cow Pasture which contained some 3” of moss last week has now been topped off with fur and feathers. A well-defined cup has yet to be made to finish off the nest, but that may veryRead more
Bluebirds 3.6.18
This is the first official 2018 status report of our bluebird trail nest boxes. We have six nest boxes located across our 84 acre campus, from the Cow Pasture near the Train Tunnel, through Catch the Wind, to the south side of the campus near the Woodlands Classrooms. I’ve had to make adjustments over the last seven or so years that I’ve been monitoring our nest boxes, allowing for changes in landscaping practices, new exhibit openings, and even parking deckRead more
Final Nest Box Update 8.22.17
The nesting season on our bluebird trail is officially over. There has been no recent activity in any of our six nest boxes. Three species of bird utilized the nest boxes. The last nest, a house wren nest, fledged 1 bird during the second week of August. House wrens were the most successful species with a total of 11 fledglings. Carolina chickadees fledged 9 birds this year. Bluebirds were way down at only 3 fledged. This has been the theRead more
Nest Box Update 8.8.17
There is one active nest and one nestling inside that nest. The nest box at the old site of the Bungee Jump started with five eggs (7/25). The following week it held 2 house wren nestlings (8/1). It now has one nestling (8/8). What happened to the other eggs or nestlings is a mystery. The fact is, there’s only one nestling left and I’m not sure I’ll be able to determine if it fledges or perishes in the nest. I’llRead more
Nest Box Update 8.1.17
We now have only one active nest, and it belongs to house wrens. Last week, there were 5 house wren eggs in the nest box at the old site of the Bungee Jump. Two of the eggs have hatched. Looking at the photo below there’s no evidence of the other eggs or nestlings, dead or alive. We have two nestlings in the nest box at Bungee and no other activity in any of the other five nest boxes. We’ll haveRead more
Nest Box Update 7.18.17
We have three active nest boxes. Last week, the Cow Pasture, Bungee, and Butterfly House nest boxes all contained house wren nest material and or eggs. They still contain those things. It seems, though, that the Bungee nest is the only one that has shown signs of further activity. The Cow Pasture nest looks the same this week as it did the previous week, a handful of twigs in the nest box. It doesn’t appear as though there’s been anyRead more
Nest Box Update 7.11.17
It’s the year of the house wren! The past week has seen activity in three of our six nest boxes, all involving house wrens. There’s nest material in the Cow Pasture, Bungee Jump, and Butterfly House nest boxes. It’s just a start, but the nest box at the Cow Pasture contains a handful of twigs. This, if it’s completed, will be the second house wren nest in this nest box. The previous nest fledged 6 house wrens. The nest boxRead more