Welcome to CAVITYNESTER and the 2010 Nest Box!
45 Minutes of Fledging! Watch the video of the entire fledging process. |
Significant Dates:
- 18 April 2010 - Nest box goes out and is ready for occupants
- 19 April 2010 - Black-capped Chickadee pair and two pairs of Violet-green swallows inspect nest box
- 22 April 2010 - Black-capped Chickadee pair (Dee Dee and Peppi) begin to occupy nest, nest building commences
- 26 April 2010 - House Sparrows attack Dee Dee
- 01 May 2010 - Estimated 1st day of egg laying
- 07 May 2010 - 7th (and final) egg laid, Dee Dee begins incubation
- 20 May 2010 - 5 of 7 eggs hatch (Toby, Poppy, Chip, Chirp, and Mushi) - Estimated fledge date - Saturday, 5 June
- 21 May 2010 - Final two eggs hatch (Peep and Lilly) - Estimated fledge date - Sunday, 6 June
- 10 June 2010 - Mortality (one chick died during the previous night into early morning)
- 11 June 2010 - FLEDGE DATE! All six surviving chicks fledge in the early morning.
What is a Cavity Nester?
A cavity nester is a bird that utilizes nesting holes (cavities) for nesting (laying and incubating eggs, and rearing chicks through fledging). There are roughly 85 species of cavity nesting birds in North America (more).
Nest-Blog11 June 2010
The first 5 chicks left the box quickly and the last chick took some coaxing. After the first five were gone, the remaining sole chick stayed in the box, often taking a low posture next to the deceased chick. A parent would frequently make trip[s to the box to coax the hold-out, while at the same time trying to keep those that fledged together and safe outside. The fledge times were (PDT):
Once they were outside the nest box the parents were both sounding constant alarm calls. I went outside to see what was occurring and there were 6 Starlings that were following the chicks from branch-to-branch on an apple tree that is within 30' from the nest box. I scared the Starlings away and in the process also scared a house cat that was below the tree under a shrub. Once the intruders were gone the Chickadees ceased the alarm calls and were quickly joined by a flock of Bushtits. Myself, I left them as I needed to leave for the weekend. The chicks now begin their lives outside the protective confines of the nest box. If they remain in the area, I will enjoy their songs, calls and presence throughout the coming year. Ages
Weather
10 June 2010
I was surprised that the remaining chicks did not fledge today, but it may be for the best, as like the last few days, the weather has been wet, windy, and cool (tomorrow and through the weekend the weather is forecast to be sunny and warm). Dee Dee and Peppi continued to bring meals to the chicks all day, from the morning into the early evening. The chicks spent more and more time looking out through the entrance hole as well as exercising their wings. One note about the mortality - I reviewed the video from late yesterday, before the image went to black, and one of the chicks was not vigorously trying to get meals as they were delivered to the entrance hole by the parents. It would open it's bill, but not stand up to compete for the meal. This could be the chick that ended up dying during the evening. When I came home from work today I saw that there was a UStream error that ended the feed sometime in during the day. My apologies to all the viewers, but this was out of my control, and I could not rectify the error until I returned home in the early evening. Hopefully there will be no more streaming errors! Ages
Weather
09 June 2010
Ages
Weather
08 June 2010
Ages
Weather
07 June 2010
On several occasions there was a hissing sound either emitted from one of the chicks, or the parents outside of the box. I never could determine what was making this sound, but it did sound like the hissing Dee Dee used when defending the nest from House Sparrows last month, When the sound was heard the chicks would settle down huddled under the entrance hole, become quiet, and hardly move. No fledging occurred today, but I would except it to be tomorrow morning, or perhaps Wednesday. The web site also made the Top 100 in the Birding Top 1000 list. Ages
Weather
06 June 2010
Like yesterday, much time was spent preening and stretching and exercising wings. Both parents continued to bring in the constant flow of small caterpillars. It should be any day now that they depart the nest. I would look for it during the morning hours as I believe this is often when fledging will occur. Ages
Weather
05 June 2010
This was the first fully sun-filled day we have had in some time, with back-to-normal temperatures. The chicks did some moving around the nest box, but for the most part stayed close together. There is still a form of a nest-cup that is deep enough that some chicks can get temporarily trapped along the sides and the weight of the chicks above. All chicks were very actively preening today and were
often stretching and exercising their wings. Dee Dee
and Peppi made fewer trips inside the nest unless coming in
to remove fecal-sacs. Instead they were often feeding
the chicks by reaching through the entrance hole. Now that the chicks are able to be seen on an even level there are two chicks that seem smaller than the rest, though not by much. It is likely these two were the late hatchers, Peppi and Lilly. By the end of the day no chicks fledged and there was little interest exhibited by exploring the entrance hole. Ages
Weather
04 June 2010 Toby, Poppy, Chip, Chirp, and Mushi are one day shy of 16 days old. Black-capped Chickadees can fledge at 16 days, but I think they have a few more days before leaving the nest. They still seem noticeably smaller than Dee Dee or Peppi, and have more primary and tail feather development before appearing full grown. It is possible to differentiate some of the chicks, at least the bigger from the smaller. Now that they are standing next to each other at a similar level there is some difference visible, albeit not significant. The chicks have also mostly outgrown the nest-cup and stand to the sides, but do prefer to huddle around what is left of the cup. They also are spending more time preening and exercising their wings. Ages
Weather
03 June 2010 All seven chicks continue to grow, fill out with feathers, and take on the appearance of the parents. They are now looking more like the parent birds than younger chicks. Ages
Weather
02 June 2010 Yet another stormy day. For only a few days before estimated fledge date, I think it more likely they will fledge a bit later than estimated. They still have growing to do even though they are at taking on the characteristics and mannerisms of adult birds. They are all preening often as well as spend a fair amount of time exercising their wings.
Ages
Weather
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Results from the Chickadee Chick Naming VoteA total of 289 votes were cast for the chick names. The top seven names in the vote were:
Thanks to everyone that voted!
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Fledge
Date! All six surviving chicks departed the nest early
this morning leaving. As the sun began illuminating
the inside of the nest box the chicks were visibly excited
by moving around within the box and frequently jumping up to
the entrance hole to look outside. The parent birds
were coming to the box to feed them and help encourage them
to depart.
As
the sun rose today and the occupants became visible it was
quickly apparent there was a mortality overnight. I
have no idea which chick this was but I am calling it
"Lilly" for the sake of the web site and viewers (since
Lilly was the last hatched). She was lying dead at the
left front corner (appears as right on the camera) of
the nest box.
Thinking
again that the chicks would fledge, they instead ended up
occupying the nest box all day. Like
previous days, they continue to spend more time at the
entrance hole and exercising their wings. It is for
the best, however, that they did not leave the nest box as
it was a very stormy day with thunder cells creating
periodic torrential rains and wind.
Day
18 & 19 after hatch. The weather was forecast to be
warm today, with deteriorating conditions as the day
progressed into night. I was sure the chickadees would
fledge today as they seem in good condition, appear
developed, and the weather conditions began favorable.
The Chickadees had different plans though as they remained
occupants for another day. No real change in activity,
with an increase of views out of the entrance hole, as well
as a high level of wing exercising. 
The
day started wet and cool but the weather improved by midday.
All of the chicks are now similar in size as the parents and
spend much time, as is becoming common, preening and
stretching and exercising their wings.
All
seven chicks are 16-17 days old today, but were not ready to
depart the nest box. They spend the 1st half of the
day huddled together at the center of the box while staying
relatively quiet. The weather today is back to the
abnormal normal of wet and cool.
Toby,
poppy, Chip, Chirp, and Mushi are 16 days old today so have
reached the estimated fledge date. I think they still
have some growing to do and would guess possibly tomorrow,
or more likely Monday.
Both
Dee Dee and Peppi continue to make non-stop trips to the
nest box with meals of small caterpillars, then leave with
fecal sacs. I am always amazed how they can so quickly
convert the energy from these caterpillars into Chickadees. 
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