Chickadee in the birdhouse

14 years ago

Today I checked my birdhouses to see if there were any residents. I knocked on each one before opening. All were empty, but in one I found a chickadee sitting on a nest. She didn't leave when I knocked so she was a surprise. I quickly closed the door so I wouldn't spook her. I'm not sure if she was roosting or has a nest. Is there a way to check it out? I need to make her leave before I open the door - how should I do it? I would also like to know if she has eggs so I can install a hole reducer ( by the way ,what is the correct size?). I'm afraid to do anything without knowing if she is in there or not.

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Comments (6)

chickadeemelrose
14 years ago
I go by the sizes of the "toothbenders" sold by the Birdwatchers General Store on Cape Cod (a place I visit whenever I am there). They sell toothbenders for chickadee nestboxes at 1-1/8".
aleksandras
14 years ago
Is this all the advice I'm going to get? I asked more questions than just those concerning the hole reducer size. Some people say that chickadees are not tolerant to monitoring and that the hole reducer should be installed only if there an active nest. I need to know what I should do to not spook her.
She is not incubating yet, but she sleeps on the nest. There are three eggs so far. I installed a camera in there (it works only from 6PM to morning right now because she is not there in the daytame) Link is below. I'm not sure if she will have success with this since we don't get lot of help here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chickadee nest webcam
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teri2 As a nature photographer, your plight has offered me so much excitement i scarcely know where to begin. I sympathize with you at the lack of birds, i don't know how i would get through my winter days if it weren't for all the birds at my feeders but before we address how to run that hawk off, I would strongly encourage you to grab your camera and get as many photos as you can. It is a rare opportunity to see a hawk close up. I was especially excited when you mentioned the white weasel. I suspect what you saw was a STOAT (Mustela Erminea) commonly called a "Short tailed Weasel. The Stoat ranges throughout the northern temperate and arctic range, although they are generally nocturnal and extremely elusive. In summer they are brown and called stoats, but in winter they have a white coat and they are properly called Ermine. In the fur industry the white pelt of an Ermine is prized higher than mink because unlike Mink, the Ermine cannot be raised in captivity. They are extremely difficult to trap because they will literally chew their own foot off to escape a leg hold trap. Just getting a fleeting glimpse of an Ermine is a once in a lifetime event. Now let us consider how you might deter the hawk. About the only natural enemy of the hawk is a large owl. they make a large owl decoy that is primarily used by gardeners to deter birds from their gardens. Erecting such a decoy where the hawk likes to perch would probably deter the hawk, but on the other hand, it may also deter the smaller birds in the same way the hawk is doing now. I can think of one other method that may work. Most marine stores or boatyard stores stock an inflatable snake which is about 6ft long when inflated. They principally place them on boats to deter birds from roosting in the rigging and making a mess on the deck or superstructures. I don't know how effective it would be in winter, but considering that the inflatable snakes are rather cheap, it would certainly be worth trying. you can also find those inflatable snakes listed in garden catalogs, or they may have them in the garden shop at your local big box store.
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In case the eggs are still OK - maybe you can try moving the nest? I'm not sure if it's possible to reach or if the parents will accept it. But most of the the time it works. I have personally made a little move/remaking a fallen open cap nests with chicks in it, and once I moved a starling nest with eggs from the hole under the roof. I moved it because the chicks were falling out of the hole and it was not the best nesting site. First I screwed the birdhouse to the wall in such a way that the hole in the birdhouse was as close as possible to the hole the birds were using. After that I moved the nest with the eggs into the birdhouse and sealed the hole under the roof. I watched the parents - they started going inside the birdhouse after a very short time. I gave them a few days to get use to the new nesting site and after that I moved it to a pole about 4' from the wall where the house was originally located. They accepted it again and raised chicks from the eggs I moved. You can probably do the same for your birds. If its fails - well, as you said, maybe it's for the best.
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dzyg
14 years ago
Well I am a little confused as to what more help you need. Since you already know she has eggs you can add a 1 1/8 reducer as having eggs means it is an active nest. Since you have a inbox camera you shouldn't need to open the box anymore but why does it only work from 6PM to morning, why wouldn't you be able to see with the camera when she isn't there? What other advice are you looking for? If you have House wrens you could add a wren guard as they can get into a 1 1/8 hole. Sialis.org has info on the wren guards I used one last year on the house the chickadees chose as we do have House wrens. I monitored our chickadee nest about every other day to every third day until the babies were old enough to fledge early then I just waited and watched from outside. Would love to have a inbox camera so I wouldn't need to open nestboxes to check on them.

Donna
lisa11310
14 years ago
I thought I posted but dont see my post. My Dees are fine with me monitoring, but they are here year round, they know me and trust me. They are always within inches of me when I fill the feders, even had a few eat from my hand in the winter!
aleksandras
14 years ago
Donna, I just installed this camera two days ago and when I did, I didn't know that working around birdhouse would spook her. Some birds could abandon even an active nest if you scare them. I also don't know if I should wait for her to start incubating before installing the reducer. Bluebirds could come to claim this box (this is the box they always use), but that is not usually until late summer.
Camera is off because there is nothing to see there in the daytime, but I can turn it on any time I want if I need to check it out.
aleksandras
14 years ago
Oops. I mistakenly I logged under my old nick (aleksandras), but it is still me, the original poster :)

Chickadee in the birdhouse

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chickadeemelrose

aleksandras

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