Nesting News

A beautiful sunny Friday morning beckoned me to soak in the sun's rays and to sip my coffee (from my favorite mug, of course) on the bedroom balcony.  While here I noticed some nesting activity in the trees below.  

I repositioned myself to the lower deck so I could get a better angle on the nesting boxes.  This is a major lesson in patience for me....my camera is a Canon Power Shot point and shoot camera, no bells and whistles, no sports mode, only a 16x zoom.  After about 100 photos and some major cussing over missed shots, these are the photos I got.  

Three Springs ago, I hung 2 nesting boxes in the trees on the south side of my house.  One on the far right, I purchased at the local hardware store and it is made out of pine.  The one on the left, I so crudely made from untreated cedar scraps I had left over from when I made garden boxes.  Not having my own table saw to cut the wood to size, I just pieced it together as best as I could with wood screws and chiseled a hole in the front for an opening hoping that the birds might use it. 

Well, I am happy to say, this year a pair of Black-Capped Chickadees have deemed my crudely made nesting box fit for their brood!  Getting the nesting box ready is in full swing with the pair flitting back and forth with nest materials. 

I recently noticed that tree bark from some of the scrub oaks near the balcony has been stripped.  Now I know why, the chickadees are stripping bark to use in the nest building.

"You lookin' at me?"

I was also happy to notice that one of the chickadees is the one I spotted several months ago which has the overgrown upper mandible.  No picture of it yet, still trying.

Going in....

Flying out....

While back on the balcony, I heard a noise just over the ridge line above my house.  

What is it?  Looks like 2 huge birds of prey.....

but take a closer look...

An air glider is being towed to altitude by a Cessna airplane.  Morgan County Airport located a few miles East of my canyon is the glider airport for Northern Wasatch Front mountains.  An amazing sight to watch the gliders soar!

Well, thanks for joining me on my Friday morning adventure in My Mountain Green.

Happy Mother's Day to all!