[Mnbird] Nesting Season 2020 Recap, Dakota County, Long

[Miller Johnson]

With nesting season 2021 well under way, I though I would recap last year's nesting season on our property, which included some great success stories... and not.

Molly Miller
Inver Grove Heights,
Dakota Co

Eastern Bluebird
03-27-20 Bluebirds arrived in the yard. Had a new female; she laid six white eggs, the first time I’ve had that. I was excited to see how they did. On 05-13, around the 11th day of incubation, a House Wren stabbed and removed all the eggs. The bluebirds vacated my yard and headed to the neighbors’. It’s the first summer in decades I’ve failed to have bluebirds fledge in my yard.  

Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Nest 1 and 2)
03-27-20 the male called from last year’s nest-hole tree; female did not respond from the woods in the north. 04-05 male was checking out a hole in a big dead oak on the southeast corner of our property. The female found the new hole satisfactory, and their nesting season began. They were in the incubation stage when the female disappeared. Luckily, the male was able to call in a new mate from the east and she accepted the same nest hole. They had at least two kids, which fledged on 07-18. The female went off with the first fledgling(s) to the east; the male went west/northwest with the other. The male and his fledgling (male) remained in our yard area, taking advantage of the suet. I didn’t see the female again until 10-01, which was similar to her behavior after their 2019 nesting.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Pair 1)
04-05-20 Observed male; 04-09 observed female. 04-24 observed four sapsuckers, with a male and female checking out the tree in which a pair nested last year. 04-26 male began digging in a tree about 10’ from last year’s nest tree; by 05-03 he’d dug out enough that only his tail showed when digging. On 05-06 male started working on a new hole about 15” below last year’s nest; female hanging out at the other hole. Male continued digging, female elsewhere. 05/18-25 seen periodically copulating. 06-07 adults feeding nestlings. 06-22 leaning way in to feed. 06-25 leaning head in to feed. Male may have gone missing. 06-30 one fledged; at least two still in nest. 07-02 At least one still in nest, doesn’t stick head out. Last day I saw female feed at hole. Later saw three kids at once, so at least three made it.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2)
05-01-20 male digging out a nest on the south side of a tree in our south woods, which can only be seen in profile. 05-08 pair copulate and male continues digging. 05-28 male and female swapping places in nest hole. 06-03 adults taking food all the way in; 06-18 kid(s) come to hole and adults feed from outside. Based on slow pace of feeding, believe they only have one or two nestlings. 06-22 no activity at nest, adult male feeding a fledgling in the yard. 

Downy Woodpecker
04-10-20 male working on a hole in a dead poplar. Adults around nest hole, little work on excavation. 05-01 observed copulation. Male begins serious work on the nest hole, removing beaks full of sawdust. 05-13 incubating. 05-28 adults feeding, going all the way into the hole, removed a fecal sac. 06-09 adults feeding, a female nestling leaning pretty far out of hole; will fledge soon. 06-10 still in nest. 06-11 believe fledged.

Hairy Woodpecker
04-11-20 watched male and female checking out dead trees. 04-22 found their nest hole, male inside, looking out for a long time. 04-24 female inside looking out. 04-27 appear to be incubating. Quiet nesters. 05-11 male took food into hole. 05-14 small fecal sac removed. 05-18 large fecal sac removed. When male feeds, he brings the food directly and either takes it inside or just feeds at hole. When female feeds, she leans in, puts beak in nestling’s mouth, pulls head out, tilts head, keeps head back a bit so the nestling has to stretch for the food, repeats. (I’ve seen something like this with the fledglings: adult feeds, moves around to other side of fledgling, pops up, feeds, moves back again. I think it teaches the kids to be aware and work for their food?) Believe there are three nestlings. 06-02 nestlings start doing the “winnow” call. Male nestling adds the “chip” call. 06-03 it seems like the adults are trying to teach the nestlings to shut up when they “chip.” 06-04 believe the male nestling fledged. 06-05 believe a second male nestling fledged. 06-06 believe the female nestling fledged.

Black-capped Chickadee (1)
03-27-20 two adults working hard excavating a hole in a very dead poplar. Hole is just above a mushroom “porch.” 04-05 still working on hole, both going all the way in and can’t be seen. 04-10 still bringing out sawdust/chips, but a bit of moss came up to edge at one point. 04-17 no activity, either laying eggs or incubating. 05-05 mate feeding near nest hole. 05-13 adult popped out of hole. 05-18 adults quickly feeding. 05-30 removed large fecal sac. 06-03 no activity. Believe this nesting was successful.

Black-capped Chickadee (2)
04-05-20 adult excavating a hole in a broken-off poplar; west woods, NE corner. Not making much progress. 04-10 no activity.

Black-capped Chickadee (3)
04-10-20 checking out hole in very dead poplar; west edge of west woods, Later saw adult removing sawdust/chips. 04-17 both adults taking turns removing saw dust. 04-25 no activity. 04-27 no activity.  05-07 both adults excavating what may be a hole lower than original excavation point (Nest 3A?). (No clear view of that side of the tree.) House Wrens have also checked out the holes in this tree. 05-14 chickadee popped out of hole. 05-16 adult into hole, second adult called by nest hole, adult comes out and quivers wings. The second adult goes inside carrying a very tiny green tidbit, comes out. First adult back inside. 05-20 no activity. 05-25 no activity, looks like some “duff” is showing in the hole. Suspect House Wrens went in and threw out kids.

Black-capped Chickadee (4)
04-17-20 adult quickly removing sawdust/chips from a 5’ broken-off tree stump next to Nest 2 tree. Hole about 3’ up from ground. 05-03 no activity.

Black-capped Chickadee (5)
04-24-20 Three chickadees chased around a nest box, but one of them found time to take in beaks full of moss. On 04-27 the chickadee started taking in fur, and on 05-01 egg laying began, on the way to five eggs. On 05-13 a House Wren stabbed and removed all the eggs. Chickadees vacated the nest box.

Chipping Sparrow
05-01-20 adult taking long grass into an evergreen on the east side of our house. Another adult nearby. Pair stayed in area, but I believe they relocated their nest. Did not find alternate site.

Northern Flicker
05-14-20 male flicker popped into an old, big knot hole in a dead tree. Male sunk down in hole, mostly just showing his beak and malar. Had two males overwinter, so was really hoping to catch one of them nesting. Nothing came of this.

Northern Cardinal
05-22-20 Rickety nest in a honeysuckle. Female cardinal sneaked in and sat on the nest. Female good about incubating. 05-28 the female was off the nest; three warm eggs, all the same size, no Brown-headed Cowbird eggs! 06-05 female sitting high on nest, eggs probably hatched. 06-06 all three eggs hatched, mostly pin feathers, a few tufts of down. 06-09 not on nest. Nest empty/failed. Blue Jays and squirrels in the area.

Song Sparrow (1)
05-22-20 adult with food flew to the base of a honeysuckle within tall grasses multiple times in our northwest property. Second adult also dropped down into same spot. When goldfinches flew to the honeysuckle, the Song Sparrows chased them away. I don’t know what the end result was of this nest.

Song Sparrow (2)
06-02-20 two adults moving between places in our north yard, but eventually ending up in an overgrown garden. 06-04 adults bringing food to the same location. 06-06 adult removed a fecal sac. 06-11 kid(s) fledged. The only kid I got a good look at was a Brown-headed Cowbird fledgling.

Song Sparrow (3)
06-13-20 adult dropping down into tall grasses about 15 yds north of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker nest (1). 06-20 adults with food dropping down to same location multiple times. 06-25 no more activity at the spot.

Eastern Wood Pewee
06-03-20 adult making trips to the same spot high in a large oak in our yard (close to the location of last year’s nest). Nest construction underway. 06-06 copulation observed. 06-09 nest looking sturdier with lichen on the outside. 06-11Pewee flew at a House Wren, chasing it out of the oak. Starting 06-13 notice that the adult is not on the nest (could be egg laying). 06-17 found an egg, looking like an Eastern Wood Pewee’s, on the ground under nest area. That evening an adult called from the oak, flew to the nest, hopped in and around the nest, and then flew south. After that, periodically saw and heard an Eastern Wood Pewee in our south yard and beyond.

Field Sparrow (1)
05-06-20 adult dropped down with a long piece of coarse grass in a spot by a tiny honeysuckle within tall grasses. Another adult nearby. I don’t think anything came of it.

Field Sparrow (2)
06-18-20 Field Sparrow foraging in the brush and long grasses at the edge of our lawn. 06-27 adult with food, dropping down into grassy, bramble area. 06-29 removing fecal sacs. 07-04 dropping down with food 5-6’ north of nest area, once to nest area. 07-06 no activity, believe the fledglings made it to a new location. Later saw a juvenile Field Sparrow. This nest was about 100 yds from the location of “Nest 1,” so perhaps the same pair.

Other observations: Found a broken Turkey egg on a trail. Turkeys live in the area, but no idea where a nest would be. Watched a coyote playing with a small rodent along our west property line. Had a sick raccoon stumble into our yard, and then stumble away when it saw me. For the safety of the neighborhood, with a community park and playground nearby, it was dispatched.