2002
Mountain Chickadees: April 2002 - the nest has been started. I haven't seen any eggs yet but a pair of Chickadees has definately moved in! Update: 4 Chickadee babies this year - all seem to be doing well and are learning to find food and water in our yard!
Western Bluebirds: The Bluebirds have been checking out the box for about a week now. We have put out meal worms nearby in order to entice them to set up housekeeping. A Chickadee pair has also been investigating the box so we're now sure yet who will move in. There is no nesting material in the box as yet (April 14 2002). Update: no Bluebirds this year.
Gray Squirrels: I watched Mama squirrel building her nest in the big pine. It is fun to watch her carrying bundles of material high up into the tree. This year all our nests are filled with pink fuzzy rug fibers. I wondered where the squirrels and birds were getting this material until I started looking around and finally spotted an old pink bath rug in the field next door - I don't know where it came from! But a mystery -- I went to check on the squirrel's nest and found it was gone - just disappeared! It didn't fall or there would have been material on the deck beneath the tree. Maybe Mama squirrel didn't like me knowing where her nest was and moved it bit by bit. (I wonder if she moved into the Flicker nest box - it would make a great home for a squirrel family.) Update: We've seen babies all over the yard! We probably have more than one one family.
