As one disappears another moves in

Well, as predicted in the last article, the birds were brainless.  Two days after the photos of the mockingbird eggs were taken, the nest was emptied.  I gave it a day or two to see if the mockers would try again.  No takers. 

 

As if on queue, I spotted a pair of bluebirds dragging pine needles to the nesting box merely feet from the mockingbird nest of demise. 

 

To avoid any type of confrontation, I removed the mockingbird nest to a better location (in MY view).  I don't want the bluebirds jumpy or uneasy about tending to their next brood.  I just hope that whatever reached in and grabbed the mockingbird eggs doesn't have the ability to circumvent the metal baffle that I fashioned around the bluebird nesting box post.  That location has thusfar escaped any "horror" from something up the food chain and I'm hoping to keep it that way.

 

Been a rough go for nesting birds this year.  The doves opted to attempt a second try in the oak in the front yard.  There one day cooking two eggs, gone the next....a pulled feather in the nest all that was left. 

 

Ahhh nature....sometimes a little hard to take!

Bird Brains

So, I spot the mockingbirds building a nest in a low growing holly (probably a cultivar, a gift from friends when I moved here).  It is maybe 2 ft high and located several feet and directly in line with the front of the bluebird nesting box.

 

Now the mockingbirds are nasty to the bluebirds and I personally don't want them taking up residence where they might prevent the bluebirds from nesting.  There are dozens of alternate nesting sites for the mockingbirds and more mockingbirds than you can count.  The bluebirds only nest in nest boxes (although I have some who are making use of the purple martin house (see article below), but that too is an enclosed area.  Doesn't seem fair that the mockers are hanging out in the bluebird area.

 

I went out and removed the start of their nest and pointed toward the oak in the front as a better neighborhood.  Next day, they were still trying to build.  I once again removed the sticks and such and since this one was a bit more formed than the last, I took the nest material and placed it in a crook in a young oak I have not too far away.  I was sidetracked and didn't pay attention for a couple of days.

 

Lo and behold, the dang birds built a nest inside of 2 days and layed an egg so that I can no longer touch it.  One day later we have a second egg (that's when I took the picture).

 

My concern is not only that they are mean to the bluebirds, my other concern is that this is BELOW the head height of a certain English Setter who would just love to play with the babies when they hatch, or mom while she is cooking the eggs.  I also envision the snakes thinking they have come upon the best breakfast bar in the world.  The snakes often get into nests 6 or 7 foot high up in the trees, so this low spot is just an easy target.

 

Who knows why they insist on this shrub but they do.  Now I see where the phrase "bird brain" comes from.  They aren't too smart!

Condo living for bluebirds?

I noticed someone flying over toward the purple martin house with nesting materials in their mouth.  I was too far away to see the species, but the long pine needles were evident sticking out on each side of the bird, like whiskers on a cat.  Purple martins appear each year, but fail to move in.
   

I grabbed the field glasses and took a gander.  Well, what do you know, it is a bluebird.

Now, I did have two fledgees of bluebirds out of that condo in the summer of last year.  And the nestbox was only used for two broods in 2011 although in past years it has been used for three.
   

I will have to pay close attention to see if the nest box is used a third time this year.  The baby bluebirds from 2012 brood 2 are a due to fledge this week.  I was saddened that only two of the five eggs hatched, but the two babies look plump and healthy.
   

Now I wonder if perhaps the adult pair that use the nest box try to get an early start on brood 3 by making use of the martin house.  They can build while the young ones are still home in the main house.  They are building in the lower level, unit 1.
   

Of course I'm not sure how the Martins are going to feel about someone moving in.  Maybe they rented it out to the bluebirds, after all, it does have a wonderful water view and I'm sure they could get a tidy sum for it.

p.s., The bird hanging upside down in the photo is a decoy to entice the Purple Martins to move in.  We don't have acrobatic birds...except the plastic ones.

Green, More than the Color of Money

I was out at the pond trying to find the small butterwort plant to photograph and the pond is rather shallow so I was pretty far down the bank. As I disappeared below the edge I was surprised that this guy came flying in over my head. From the flight coming in for a landing I first thought it was one of the grackles. I think he was surprised that a human was "below ground" so when it saw me it hopped over the pond and landed on the other side. So glad I always have my camera at the ready. Mr. Green Heron (or Mrs.?) didn't stay long, but he made that squawk as he flew away which cracks me up.

This is only the 2nd time I've seen them at my place so it was a rewarding encounter.

Oh no you don't!

When I was driving down the block the other day I noticed that some of the trees alongside the culvert appeared to be dying...shades of brown that don't bring to mind autumn days.  I've grown to accept that laurel wilt has done in our red bays and try not to get too upset at their stark brown carcasses interweaved in an otherwise healthy looking woods.  My concern was that a lot of the brown trees were young pines...pines in the bottlebrush stage of life.  I wondered if the county had done its herbicide thing to keep the culverts clear...an environmental tragedy that has no justification.  Despite complaints, it seems you can't fight city hall of that subject.  Since so many other species of shrubs and treees seemed green and fine, it had to be something directly related to the pines....much like the red bays demise with that darn ambrosia beetle.

 

I've made an effort to nurture those pines that are growing naturally on my property.  Long Leaf Pines are especially essential to the well being of so much of our wildlife. 

I made a mental note to check on my pines which probably number around 15 or so in grass stage or just moving into bottlebrush stage. 

 

I finally got around to my pines and thankfully the ones in the back were all healthy and bright green.  Then I noticed my "surprise" pine....just outside the front fence, it grew into bottlebrush stage practically overnight probably jumping for joy realizing that someday someone FINALLY didn't cut it back.  Unfortunately, It looked a little bare.  On closer inspection I saw the gang of thugs munching away.  Meet the Red-headed Pine Sawfly (Neodiprion lecontei).  They like to eat young pines.  I headed to get the soapy water killing jar and shook the little buggers off the tree.  Hand picking is relatively easy since they seem to stick to the younger pines where they are within easy reach to be shaken and booted off. 

 

I've been monitoring the rest of my trees daily and haven't seen nary another of these guys on any of the trees.  I just wonder if they are the culprits that are doing in our pretty little young pines around the neighborhood.  Hopefully mother nature is just naturally weeding out trees to give all a chance at proper nutrition.  Time will tell.

2012 Bird Broods II

Well, we have another 5 bluebird eggs for the 2012 season. I had cleaned out the nest after a successful fledge of 5 babies from brood #1. Mom and dad returned about 2 weeks later to start on new construction in the box.

This week I saw Lovey and Dovey doves back sitting on their nest in the front oak…the same nest…so I guess doves don't require change.

Mockingbirds have been busy building…they built a third nest in the neighbor's oak and I found a nest in a one of my Wax Myrtles but they still haven't used it. Odd bunch they are. Apparently the males begin to build in a couple of locations and the females pick one and finish it off. Neighbor on the other side reported that he found a dead bird and the nest had been picked clean of eggs.

There is a single purple martin that comes every day and does aerial stunts checking out the martin house, but I really think he is just teasing me and has no intention of moving in.

I hear the nuthatches high in the pines, but since the killing at the last nest site, they haven't even stopped by that snag again…and for the past two years they spent most of their time there. I miss seeing them. Which got me to thinking…my snags are starting to crumble so I need to place an order for a lightning strike. A dead tree is vital to wonderful wildlife observations.

Do Birds Mourn?

Oh nature, you've made me sad this week. I noticed that the brown-headed nuthatches were feeding away and I was excited by the prospect of fledglings. I'm somewhat frustrated in that I can't view the babies in their nest, deep in the caverns of a pine snag. Bluebirds in a box are easily monitored and I am spoiled by their accessibility.

Everything was fine. Adult birds in and out with the insects necessary for baby birds. Then, one day I noticed an adult standing sideways on the snag, insect in mouth, but not entering the hole. It flew up into a pine tree and returned, still with the insect in its mouth. Something didn't feel right, but I had other things to do around the yard and I don't like to disturb the birds during feeding time, so left and really didn't give it a second thought. I was hopeful that perhaps this was fledging day and some were gone and a runt was left for mom/dad to take care of.

Then, the next day came and I heard the nuthatch adults high in the trees, but with an extra squeak to their call. None came by the nesting hole for hours, so I thought that fledging must have taken place and I headed over to be "nosey". I noticed a few feathers caught under the bark so I lifted it up a bit thinking that baby birds may not have the best aim and had brushed against the side. Iwas met with the tragedy of nature. A dead nuthatch, which looked like an adult to me, blocking the nesting hole and missing a few parts. I'm very dismayed.

I'm also stumped by what predator might have gotten to them. I assume that a snake would have consumed the entire bird. I did chase a feral cat out of the yard about two weeks ago, but could it climb up 5 feet and hang on long enough to pull out a bird? Seems unlikely, and having a cat or two do in a bird, they always seem to make off with a whole bird, not leaving anything behind. There are owls and hawks and I suppose other birds that may be predators of young, small birds. I guess I will never know what happened. Sometimes nature can seem cruel but it is not up to the humans to determine what lives or dies. Mother Nature created the food chain and I'll just have to be accepting of the predators I like as well as the predators that make me sad. As I listen to the nuthatches with the extra squeak in their call, I wonder if perhaps that is their way to mourn.