I was pleased today to learn the true identity of the birds nesting in one of the PVC nest boxes in our back yard. I had posted the below photo on my FB page on Saturday, after I was convinced it was a Tufted Titmouse nest. Two small speckled eggs are hidden in the bottom of the nest, covered with what appears to be rabbit fur. I did wonder about the fact I hadn’t seen any birds around the box, but that’s not always unusual since they often come and go quickly and discreetly to avoid drawing predators to the nest.
nest in bottom of PVC nest box
Today when I checked on the nest, the fur was pulled back and the eggs were visible. And as I examined it, there was a Black-Capped Chickadee perched on the nearby Black Cherry tree. It was singing and chirping as only a chickadee does, so there was no mistaking its identity. Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my earlier ID of the nest? I went back in the house to do a little research, and decided it was likely a chickadee nest. That was confirmed when I went back out with my camera, and a startled chickadee flew out of the box!
chickadee eggs
At this point there are six tiny chickadee eggs in the nest. According to Sialis.Org, 6-8 eggs is the norm for Black-Capped Chickadees, though as many as 13 have been recorded. Incubation lasts for 12-13 days. It also mentions the egg covering behavior of the female after she leaves the nest. The nesting material serves as a blanket to help insulate the eggs. I’ll keep monitoring the next few days and share any developments. Hopefully the next news will be the successful hatching of the eggs.