Sixth Morning
Weather - Clear, 66F, NW winds 3mph
Sunrise - 5:46am
Happy 4th of July!!
Setting the alarm for 4:00 for the last six mornings is wearing on me. I had to rely on the snooze alarm this morning. Nonetheless I got up and hurried through some breakfast and a little coffee to arrive at CBEC on time. During my short hike to the nest box I hear an eastern wood-pewee and an eastern towhee, they are singing in the dark. I arrive at the nest box at 5:11am. They are calling for a nice day today. The temperature is pleasant, but slightly more humid. Thank goodness no strong wind to blow the grasses in my line of view.
Considering I did not see the hen at all yesterday I am worried she has already left the box. Obviously I can’t be here 24 hours a day. I have to choose my time. I have to assume she will follow the principle that wood duck hens will normally call their ducklings out of the nest first thing in the morning. There are always exceptions to the rule though - it may be influenced by the weather, predators in the area; any number of reasons. Maybe I gave up too early yesterday, maybe she called them out right after I left. It’s difficult not knowing.
Her somewhat regular departure time of 5:30 something is approaching and no sign of her. The sun is coming up and shining onto the nest box, beautiful light - but no hen.
6:01am arrives, no change.
A eastern kingbird lands on the box.
6:09am arrives, no change.
A red-winged blackbird lands on the box.
6:34am arrives, no change.
A mockingbird lands on the box.
7:24am arrives, no change.
The red-winged blackbird comes back.
I can’t really take my eye off the nest box while I wait. I also have to keep my finger on the shutter, tapping it every few seconds so the camera does not shut off. Not much to do but listen to the birds sing and call. While waiting I count 29 species.
Red-winged blackbirds
Mockingbirds - I see them chasing fish crows in a tree past the nest box.
Fish crows
American crows
Song sparrow - Singing in a tree close to the box.
Bald eagle
Ospreys
Mourning doves
Common yellowthroat - He signs each morning in the distance to my right.
European starlings - They are having a battle right next to the blind, on the ground.
Orchard oriole - He is singing in a tree behind me, very close.
Great-crested flycatcher
Two Carolina wrens singing in the distance, but opposite to each other.
Gray catbird
Eastern towhee
Belted kingfisher - I heard him the other day.
Downy woodpecker
Northern flicker
Blue jay
Brown-headed nuthatch
On the lake I hear -
Terns of some kind
Green heron
Great blue heron
Mallards
Wood duck - I hear the soft call every so often. Is this my hen already on the lake with her ducklings??
Killdeer - Flying overhead.
I see flying in the distance -
Great egret
Double-crested cormorant
Tree swallows
Time is moving a bit slower today. It’s difficult not knowing whether I’m just watching an empty nest box. As 7:30am arrives I decide to take my finger off the shutter for a few minutes and get my phone to record the birds sounds. I have included the recordings here. The first one you can hear among the chorus of other birds, the song of the orchard oriole:
More time goes by and no wood duck. It’s now 8:25am, I do another recording. You can hear among the red-winged blackbirds, an osprey, the trill of a Carolina wren, and eastern kingbird:
I already decided I was going to wait until 9:00am this morning. So that time arrives and there has been no sign of her coming or going. Disappointed, I give up for the day.
I get a picture of the song sparrow who was singing in a nearby tree, before I pack it up.
I give my report to Judy and to Jim. We had already decided if she was not sighted today we would check the box again. Jim and I went to the nest box at about 10:00am. He gently opened the panel just enough to see that - she is still in there! Great news! I wasn’t staring at an empty nest box for almost 4 hours today.
Guess I have to set my alarm for 4:00am tomorrow.
Unknown when she left and returned to the nest box.
I stayed approximately 4 hours.
