Update: May 13, 2025

The Wrens have continued working on the nest in birdhouse #2, so we will put it on-line while there is activity there. We will occasionally switch back to the feeder camera during the day.

Update: May 12, 2025

Today, a male and a female Wren began placing nesting material in birdhouse #2. They did this earlier in the season, but that activity turned out to be a dummy nest. We had cleaned out that material, so now they are starting with a clean birdhouse. If they continue with this effort, we will put the camera inside this birdhouse on line. This birdhouse is located 50+ feet away from birdhouse #1 and away from the woods. It is still possible that this effort is another dummy nest.

      End of Day 1 - Click on each picture for a larger view

Update: May 3, 2025

This afternoon at 5:15pm a black snake entered the birdhouse and destroyed all the remaining chicks. We happened to see the snake in the birdhouse and attempted to remove it, but it was too late. It was a black snake approximately 4 feet long. We had treated the ground below the birdhouse with a snake repellent, but it obviously did not work. We are going to move the location of the this birdhouse, since this is the second time both a red-bellied woodpecker and a snake have raided the nest at this location.

Update: May 1, 2025

Between 11:16am and 11:30am this morning, a red-bellied woodpecker raided the chickadee nest and removed two of the chicks. This unfortunately is a normal fact of life in nature. Since red-bellied woodpeckers have a long beak and a very long tongue, it is relatively easy for them to raid birdhouses.

Update: April 29, 2025

We are now in the nestling phase for the chickadees. This usually lasts about 16 days before the nestlings fledge. They should begin to fledge about May 12th.
Because the nest is so crowded, it is difficult to be sure if all 7 eggs hatched, however, we believe that they all did hatch.

Update: April 26, 2025

The eggs began to hatch during the night and early morning hours today. As of 11am today, at least 4 eggs have hatched so far.

Update: April 22, 2025

The incubation period for the Carolina Chickadee is usually between 12 and 16 days. This means we should see the eggs hatch sometime between April 26th and April 30th.

Update: April 19, 2025

It appears that the Wren nest is a dummy nest which wrens frequently build when they have an active nest located nearby. We will continue to monitor it for a few more days. If the wren does not return, we will clean out the birdhouse for another bird to use.

Update: April 15, 2025

It appears that the wren is building an active nest in birdhouse #2, based on today's activity.

Update: April 14, 2025

At about 1:00 pm today, a Wren started to build a nest in Birdhouse #2.

Update: March 17, 2025

We have just put up a new Bluebird Mealworm Feeder with the hope of attracting the bluebirds that were here last year. We will occasionally aim the camera at this feeder when we see some activity there. Because the birds must go inside the box to get the worms, it will take time for them to learn how to get inside. Chickadees and wrens also will eat mealworms. As of today, the downy woodpecker continues to roost in the birdhouse #1, as it has done all winter. A pair of chickadees have been visiting inside the birdhouse several times in the past two weeks. When there are signs of nesting material inside the birdhouse, we will switch to that camera.