Morning Observations

Wednesday, 7:55 am

I am walking into the sun to get to the nest for a change.

I'm hearing bird song, tufted titmouse, field sparrow, Northern cardinal, Eastern towhee, American robin.

There is a grackle flying into the nest at the top of the barn. They are the messiest birds. There are several nests where I can't reach them and they drop small sticks and poop all over. Then the babies fall out and get eaten by the cats. They have lice too!

The sun is behind me as I watch the nest this morning. It's so much more comfortable than in the evening when the sun is right behind the trees. No motion or sound from the nest.

 Here is Hermione, one of the barn cats. She is stepping on my feet and when I move, she attacks. Thank goodness I have boots on. In this photo, she looks like she's thinking about those little grackle snacks in the barn.

Goldfinches are chasing each other overhead.

Here is an early morning visitor that I haven't observed before, squirrel with nut. It's jumping from tree to little branch, to tree. All of a sudden, the male flicker pops his head up so I can see him in the nest hole. Did he hear the squirrel approaching his tree?

This photo is an attempt to show how close the squirrel got to the nest hole before it settled down to eat the walnut. The nest is in the dark spot on the lower right. The flicker pulled his head down and disappeared again.

Squirrel is done with that part of breakfast.

More observers on this bright and beautiful morning.

Evening Observations

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

5:00 pm: I observed the nesting hole for about 15 minutes. There was no motion or sound from the hole. I watched the clouds build up and get darker before I headed for the house. The bird song seemed subdued.

On the way back to the house, I stopped at the propane tank to look under the hood. On Sunday, Barry found the beginning of a nest and cleaned it out. Today, there is more debris. It's tempting to leave it and see if we get eggs, but not a good idea for our heating system.




















8:10 pm: I came back to check on the nest hole. Again, there was no movement in the hole, but a tiny piece of gray fluff was stuck on the edge of the hole. While I had my binoculars trained on the nest hole, the female flicker stuck her head out!! That's the first time I've seen her for sure. Then she flew out and didn't come back while I was there. It started raining and I went in.

Good night, sweet birds!!

The Developmental Process of the Northern Flicker

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Information on the nestlings gained from research, not personal observation.

Developmental Process of the Northern flicker:

How long do they remain in the nest before they fledge?

According to www.audubon.org, about 4 weeks. I'm assuming this means they are altricial.

The adults will feed the the fledglings at first when they are out of the nest, then the fledglings follow the adults as they forage.

Northern flickers are mature by the age of one year.

Sources: retrieved on May 15, 2016

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/northern-flicker
http://traderscreek.com/wildlife/northern-flicker-colaptes-auratus/

Life Cycle Information:

Northern flickers do migrate. Most woodpeckers do not. They will leave in September or October and may go as far as Cuba or Nicaragua.

They do not have specialized breeding plumage. The males do have noticeable "mustache" markings that are different from the female plumage (no "mustache").

They molt into the adult plumage from June to October, but I can't find when they molt after that. I bet Peter Pyle knows!!

They can live 9 years in the wild. They love to eat ants, as well as other insects. They also eat berries, seeds and nuts.

They like to feed on the ground.

Its preferred habitat is forest with dead trees. "They are also found in open areas, forest edges, clear-cut areas, burnt areas, agricultural lands, and residential areas (Winkler et al. 1995).They are also found in open areas, forest edges, clear-cut areas, burnt areas, agricultural lands, and residential areas (Winkler et al. 1995).They are also found in open areas, forest edges, clear-cut areas, burnt areas, agricultural lands, and residential areas (Winkler et al. 1995).They are also found in open areas, forest edges, clear-cut areas, burnt areas, agricultural lands, and residential areas (Winkler et al. 1995)."             

"They are also found in open areas, forest edges, clear-cut areas, burnt areas, agricultural lands and residential areas (Winkler et al. 1995)."

Sources: retrieved on May 17, 2016

http://traderscreek.com/wildlife/northern-flicker-colaptes-auratus/
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Colaptes_auratus/
Winkler, H., D. Christie, D. Nurney. 1995. Woodpeckers: A guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets and Wrynecks of the World. Sussex: Pica Press.
Winkler, H., D. Christie, D. Nurney. 1995. Woodpeckers: A guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets and Wrynecks of the World. Sussex: Pica Press.

Monday, May 16, 2016; Nesting Observation

5:30 pm: Approaching the nest from the west as usual, I am listening for activity at the flicker nest site. I don't hear anything.

5:40 pm: A Northern Flicker is approaching the nest from a nearby cherry tree. It didn't go into the nest hole and there didn't seem to be any bird inside of the hole. Maybe I startled it.

Kyeer calls from nearby!! I backed up a little farther away from the nest tree. I see the flicker flying from tree to tree.

I am imagining that the eggs are nice and warm in there, with the residual body heat from the adult.

5:51 pm: The flicker popped into the nest hole. It went so fast that I almost missed seeing it. It did cling to the side of the tree for a moment before it went in head first.

I hear a cardinal calling. I see a blue jay. It's quite quiet now. The sky is very cloudy.

The robins are "calling for rain" in the distance. That's what my parents always called that song. I can't distinguish a difference really between this and the regular song. It just is a song when the day is gloomy and overcast with possible rain in the forecast. It's probably akin to all of the cows lying down when it's going to rain. Myth or fact?

The brown-headed cowbird is on the fencepost. I heard it before I saw it. I think I am learning that song.

Friday, May 13, 2016   Observation #4B

4:20pm, A pair of brown-headed cowbirds are near the nest. The male is singing. The female is following him.

The male flicker is still in the nest. I can see his head.

A catbird is calling close by. The little green cherries are getting bigger on the tree. I think I can see the difference since Wednesday.

 

A field sparrow is calling. The goats are eating nearby. This is a peaceful spot to hang out and watch the flicker who is, hopefully, incubating eggs.








Earlier today I saw a small piece of gray fluff (downy feather) on the edge of the nest hole. I guess he snagged it on the way out or in, so he's not in the nest all of the time.








4:36 pm, He just took off!!! I wish I had had my camera up at the time. He poked his head out several times, I wondered if I should try to take his photo again, but before I could decide to take a photo, he pulled his whole body out and flew away. I watched for a total of 13 minutes and he didn't go back into the hole. I didn't see him again, but I heard the "kyeer" call (see: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/sounds) 5 times.

I saw a song sparrow in the bushes. Robins are calling.

It's time to feed the chickens and ducks.

Ended: 4:49 pm.

Addendum: about 5:40 pm after I fed the poultry, I walked by the nest hole and surprised an adult flicker from it.

Weds. May 11, 2016  Observation #4A

Activity Log:

8 pm, I made a "pish"ing noise. The male flicker's head popped up immediately and went back down.
There is definitely more birdsong now than there was yesterday at 2pm.

The cherries are still green. There are insects in the air.

8:10 pm, I can see the top of the flicker's head at the bottom of the hole, but now for long.

Something is making a steady "tsk"ing sound. I hear cardinals, robins, catbirds and see a blue jay.

8:18 pm, I can see the flicker again, just hanging out in there. The barn cat thinks if I stand still still, she can use my feet and legs for a scratching post. This is painful. I got bit by a mosquito.

8:30 pm, the flicker did not leave the nest cavity at all while I was there. Good night!

How do cavity nesters clean the nest?

Who woulda thunk it? I found a blog post on baby bird poop.  It turns out that it is fascinating how neatly Mother Nature has set up baby birds. The poop comes out in a little sac that the adults can hold in their beak and dump outside. The source below has a picture of an Eastern bluebird taking out the trash, so to speak.

That would certainly help in a Northern Flicker nest with no drainage or way for the nestlings to poke their bottoms over the edge of the nest (also shown in this source).

Source:

"http://10000birds.com/what-do-nesting-birds-do-with-all-that-poop.htm"

Obviously I need some practice in blogging. I just quoted the same source twice.

What is the Northern Flicker doing in that nest?

May 10, 2016
I visited the Northern Flicker nest several times today. I saw a head in the hole briefly. I wonder if it is brooding eggs?

According to www.allaboutbirds.org, "Both sexes help with nest excavation. The entrance hole is about 3 inches in diameter, and the cavity is 13-16 inches deep. The cavity widens at bottom to make room for eggs and the incubating adult. Inside, the cavity is bare except for a bed of wood chips for the eggs and chicks to rest on. Once nestlings are about 17 days old, they begin clinging to the cavity wall rather than lying on the floor." Also, the eggs incubate for 11-13 days.

So there is hope that I will see baby flickers if I keep looking.

It is getting harder to see the nest hole as the trees keep leafing out. I can recognize the nest tree because the top half is leafless, but the smaller trees around it keep putting out leaves.

Source: www.allaboutgirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/lifehistory

 Friday, May 6, 2016
I found another nest!! Actually, I don't know if it really is a nest yet. I heard a tapping while I was walking in the woods by the goat pasture. I looked up and found the hole. While I was watching it, the flicker poked his head up so I could see him. It's a male flicker. The hole is in a cherry tree.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

The hole is hard to see unless you know where it is. I tried to show Barry twice and finally I took a photo of it and had him stand in my footprints. Then he got it! I saw the male flicker inside again, but did not hear tapping.

According to https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/lifehistory, both sexes excavate, but I've only seen the male so far. "The entrance hole is about 3 inches in diameter, and the cavity is 13-16 inches deep. The cavity widens at bottom to make room for eggs and the incubating adult. Inside, the cavity is bare except for a bed of wood chips for the eggs and chicks to rest on. Once nestlings are about 17 days old, they begin clinging to the cavity wall rather than lying on the floor."

*I wonder if and how the adults clean the nest?

Sad News

May 4, 2016

Sad news today. The first sign that I should have noticed was nest material on the ground. I did notice that the nest looked a little disheveled, but I was eager to see the nestlings. I held the mirror over the nest and saw only darkness. I tried it again, then stood back and noticed the nest material on the ground. I got a step ladder and got the mirror closer and tried to take photos of the interior of the nest, no luck. Finally I put my fingers into the nest and found no nestlings. I didn't see any adults close to the nest either.

Here is the nest material on the ground. I would guess that either a cat or raccoon, possibly an opossum, could easily climb up there and get the baby birds.

Then, I went looking for a new nest to observe. We have barn swallows nesting in the goat/sheep barn every year. I have seen a successful nest almost every year. This is because the young swallows, when they leave the nest, tend to have trouble finding their way out of the barn. Frequently, one will fly into the window and I can catch it and hold it for a minute, then steer it out of the doorway.

Here is the nest in the center of the barn's ceiling. And the photo below shows what I found under the nest. I tried to look in the nest with the mirror, but it is too dark. The nest is only about 3" from the ceiling. 

Then I found these eggshells on the lower level of the barn, directly beneath the egg yolk and egg fragments.

The photo below shows evidence of swallow activity in the barn on the top of the door.

This photo shows one of our sheep (Cinders) standing directly below the nest.

Barry and I went out with a flashlight and the mirror and determined that there are no nestlings in either swallow's nest in the barn.

May 3, 2016, Tuesday, Nest Blog Post #2

The eggs have hatched!! I looked with the mirror and I can't tell exactly how many hatched. At least 3, hopefully all 4 eggs that I saw before. There were no eggshells in the nest.

The nest is very well camouflaged in the apple tree. It is between 2 good sized branches and the leaves are thick. It is hard to find a place to sit where the sun is not in my eyes and I can also see the nest.

The parents did not visit the nest while I watched. I sat for half an hour (about 5pm).

Tomorrow I will post photos.

The apple tree in the middle of the photo is where the nest is located. I startled a robin in the tree a few days ago and looked around and found the nest. It is on the left side of the tree, near the bottom of the branches (about 1/3 of the way up the tree. I sat in the shed on a hay bale to watch the nest. It was hard to photograph because the leaves are so dense around the nest. The nest appears to be made of a lot of dry grass. I didn't want to poke the nest, but I suspect there is also mud holding the nest together. The nest is round in shape and approximately 5"-6" across. There are at least 4 eggs in this nest! Here is the photo of me looking into the nest with the help of a mirror.

I am assuming that the nest is in the incubation stage because there are eggs, but no adults came back to sit on the nest while I was there. One adult robin came close, making small noises, but did not settle on the nest. I observed 2 robins chasing each other across the driveway at one point. Then I saw what appeared to be a pair because they were following each other companionably. They came to rest on the lawn across from the nest. I wonder how long those eggs can last without being incubated? I know that chickens rarely leave the nest when they are incubating eggs.

Here is the photo of the adult robins on the lawn.

They are very hard to see.

I looked up American Robin at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/lifehistory. They live in this area year-round and have a very wide breeding range, covering most of North America. The incubation period is 12-14 days. This nest is located exactly where this web page says it will be ". . .typically in the lower half of a tree. .. "
According to this website: http://animals.mom.me/differences-between-male-female-american-robins-8722.html, "The female incubates her eggs once they arrive in the spring, and the male will occasionally be observed bringing food to her." That means the bird I startled off the nest was the female. I wonder if she will become used to me sitting in the shed and stay on the nest? Both parents also feed the young. I am looking forward to being able to observe this too.