Today we found out our mystery birds. After reading about what will nest in a bluebird box we realized that our birds were probably North Carolina Chickadees. "Carolina Chickadees have a soft nest with thick base of moss to which is added animal fur, plant down, hair and soft fibers. Their eggs are white, spotted with reddish-brown markings."-Bluebird Handbook for Howard County, Maryland. This sounded like our crew! Our 6 little chicks look like they are ready to fly. We were actually nervous they would fall right out of the box. We took these quick pictures.
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We are so sad! We went to check our bluebird box #1 and found the whole thing gone. Nest gone, eggs gone. We suspect a human.
Who is this mystery bird?? It is a brown bird with light brown eggs. I personally think it is a House Wren. There is some evidence that it is a House Wren. The feathers in the nest are brown with black bandings. However, most House Wren's nest are extremely messy like a reeking rats nest!!! The materials used to make the nest would be all over the place. In this bird box, the nest could be made by a bluebird, since they are neat,but have been stolen by a House Wren. In the bird's box, the eggs are the size of a dime as shone on the picture and they are speckled brown eggs. What do YOU think this hooting mystery bird is?? -AY Today we saw some new nests as well as some new eggs. In Box One we found four (yes four) bluebird eggs!! So exciting!! The eggs were a bit small, not as big as a chicken egg but we know they were blue bird eggs because they were light blue and smaller than robin eggs. Do you remember the unknown nest Box 4? Well, we decided to clear that one out because nothing got built since last week so we assumed that there were no birds living there. In Box Five we found the an unknown nest (again.) Funny thing was that was the same nest as the other unknown nest. That's why we are needing an ornithologist to help us identify this unknown nest. Please please please comment if you know what kind of nest that is (that goes for teachers too!) RY
Today we walked around the perimeter of our schoolyard to all the NEW bluebird boxes to see if there were any nests. So far there hadn't been any. Mrs. Putnam and her husband and son put all our bluebird boxes on poles, dug holes, and pounded them into the ground. What a lot of work! Thanks, Putnams!!!! The poles are skinny, metal, and slippery. Perfect for keeping out predators especially the drated black snake. We found TWO nests. In box 1 we found a completed bluebird nest (in about the location of past nests) but no eggs. In box 4 we found a "nest" made of a leafy flowery substance. We want to monitor one more week to see what happens and decide what we want to do about it. We will either clean it out or leave it for another native bird species. Anyone have an idea who might be making this "nest"? Then it was our turn. Mr. Putnam left one box for us to put up. It was pretty easy! The Putnams had already dug the hole for us, we put in the pole, pushed it down, and then used a hole digger (flat side) to make the ground around it push down and support the pole. Done! Box 5 is now in play. Pushing the post in to the hole.The Gang and the New Box
We went very far into the woods today and saw 2 geese by a huge pond that we did not know about! Neaby we might have seen a hawk or a turkey vulture. And even better, when we went outside we saw two bright Easter Blue Birds and one of them tried to get into the school. We had a great birding adventure and I hope other days are like this! JM Picture from www.wildlifeinnature.com Today we had a great watch! We think we saw a Blue Heron 9we aren't for sure but we think it was shaped like one) and a couple birds of prey. We think we saw a Turkey Vulture. At first we thought it was a Red Shouldered Hawk but RK noticed its beak, which I drew in my journal. We saw two Canada Geese by a little pond, a couple blue birds, a Blue Jay, and a Robin. Hoepfully we'll continue to have more great bird watched since it is spring. One of the bluebirds almost went into the school through a door we left open!!! DP Picture: www.flamingoworld.net Maybe you can help me out? Today teachers all over the building were calling down to me to let me know that two bluebirds kept running or tapping at their classroom windows. I even witnessed it myself for about an hour. What is going on? Mrs. Parker
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The Citizen ScientistsWe are a group of 5th grade students that are studying birds. It will begin with the Great Backyard Bird Count and end with monitoring the school's bluebird boxes. All of our data will go to the Cornell Ornithology Lab. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ Archives
June 2010
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