FOAM LAKE BIRDING
No. 191
This
article was supposed to feature a lengthy article about Robins but
circumstances delayed it to the point that it is too late for this year. Robins are already nesting and some even have
young. Perhaps next spring.
As far as
nesting goes we have a good variety of nesting birds in our yard this
year. We definitely have Chipping
Sparrows, Purple Martins, Tree Swallows, House Sparrows and House Wrens. We also appear to have Yellow Warblers,
Brewers Blackbirds and Robins nesting somewhere but I have not found the nests
yet. We also have a pair of brown Thrashers
and Catbirds regularly visiting our yard.
Nesting?
The one big
surprise is that we have a pair of Chickadees nesting in one of our
birdhouses. Although many magazine and
television articles state that Chickadees will readily nest in birdhouses they
seldom do. In addition Chickadees prefer
to nest away from man. These Chickadees
seem to have broken all the rules. In
fact this is the first instance of a Chickadee utilizing a birdhouse that I
know of. The nesting process started
about three weeks ago with the Chickadees seemingly “testing” the suitability
of the birdhouse. This evaluation period
was followed by a flurry of activity with the Chickadees carrying nesting
material, mostly feathers, into the birdhouse.
Our yard work did not seem to bother them. No matter what, it is a pleasant surprise and
I hope that they are successful in raising a family. There is nothing as cute as a family of
juvenile chickadees flitting in the trees.
This week’s
pictures are of a Chickadee flying out of the birdhouse and another of a Chickadee
sitting in the opening and looking out.
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