Here is another view of the arbor and nest - pretend like you don't see the weeds. The nest is about dead center in this photo. This is also from the patio side.
Help With Expecting Mom
billy, please tell me you didn't steal viable eggs. oh, I just don't want to know. As for the legalities, last year a titmouse was determined to destroy my house. (If you haven't seen that thread, you should check it out. it's all true and unbelievable.) I tried EVERYTHING including some pretty crazy things - I was desperate. As nothing worked and has he completely destroyed 3 screens and showed no sign of stopping, I considered "offing" him. That's when I learned that almost all wild birds (with a very few exceptions for what are considered pest birds and for game birds) are protected by both federal and, in most cases, state laws. It is illegal to kill, trap, capture, relocate, or otherwise harm them EVEN if they are damaging your property. It is also illegal to mess with their nests, damage the nests including even old and abandoned nests, and to own a birds nest of any kind. I think taking eggs is covered under bothering the nest. (But note that I am neither an attorney nor a law enforcement official so you don't want to get your legal info from me.)
I did walk through the arbor and snap a quick pic but did not touch the nest or harm it in any way - nor would I ever consider doing so. I look forward to seeing her raise a healthy, happy brood.
My eggs were found on the ground, and the wren was a very late fall find. I don't know if a cat got the mama or not. The eggs have a special spot in my gasss corner cabinets. I think one is a turtle dove egg. I had half a robins shell, but it fell apart. I've been fascinated by baby birds and nests since I was little and the robin chased us away from her nest in the grapevines. We also had an old piano on the porch and a robin made a nest on top 2 years in a row. I still think the robin has the most fascinating egg color. I've always respected never destroyed.
Whew! That's good to hear. : ) I don't see any harm in keeping the "lost" eggs.
I love the Cardinals, too..if I could fill the feeder just for them, I would. I read somewhere, where they are the first to come to the feeder in the morning...and the last, at night, and it sure seems that way...I think they are gorgeous!
I am glad to see that so many people out there feel this way. I recently read in a birder's magazine that cardinal's are often unwelcome at the feeder because they are so "common"; apparently, only unusual birds are desirable. The article suggested that they are colorful and hence would be popular if they just weren't so common. I agree with you. They are gorgeous and I wish they were MORE common. I'd like a yard full of them.
I didn't know they were 1st at the feeder in the morning, but I have seen that they are last there in the evenings, even staying after it's semi-dark. Have you noticed that when 1 of the pair is at the feeder the other is somewhere nearby keeping watch, maybe in a tree or bush at the edge of the yard?
Cardinals are also territorial. In winter they will permit other cardinals that are not part of the pair to come to the feeder. In spring and summer while raising their families only the pair that owns your yard along with their babies are tolerated at the feeder. They don't mind if other types of birds use the feeder, just not other cardinals.
Often I hear them outside at the feeder, when it is still kind of dark, in the morning. I love to watch the juviniles, you will get to enjoy them too...I would feed just them, if I could. I have a hard time in the winter, keeping the feeder full, because the Sparrow family just lives there and they kick out all the seed..now if the Cardinals could keep it secret, that the feeder is full...they always know, as they check it every day, when it is empty....
This message was edited Mar 31, 2006 3:14 AM
Actually, I had juveniles last year. The cardinal family has lived nearby for a while, probably in the edge of the adjoining forest. This is just the 1st time they've built so close to my house. The one thing I noticed about the young ones last summer was that they were less afraid of me than the parents were - and I really enjoyed the opportunity to get so much closer to them.
I guess I'm lucky in that I don't have any problem birds that throw the seed out, etc. My biggest feeder problem is Mr Raccoon. I have found that what I put in the feeder makes a big difference. I use black oil sf seeds, safflower, and nyger, each in a seperate bin. In the past, I had problems when I used mixed seed types that included cracked corn, etc. That seemed to attract some annoying birds and to cause each bird to toss out what he didn't want in pursuit of what he did.
Thanks for all the info, Scutler, since I also have been wondering if it's just me and now know I can hang in there. I think the idea about putting some additional rose branches on the open side is a great idea!! I'm not the expert, however, but if she is allowing you such close proximity, and is gone from the nest, I don't think it would cause any harm (other than her probably scolding you royally!!) - Again, however, I'm not the expert - Please keep all the pictures and info coming! Dax
I don't use the seed mixes that have millet, and corn...just the sunflower seed with safflower..but the sparrow family still manages to get most of it on the ground...very frustrating!
How could anyone not think the cardinal is spectacular or unique! They actually prefer to feed on the ground, as do sparrows. They do come to my ''Stop a Squirrel'' feeder and use the perch tho. I put out nothing but black oil sunflower seeds. The finches get the niger and the suet feeders, get high energy suet all winter. I got rid of the cage suet feeder and went to the box that has the suet underneath. No more starlings! I too see nothing wrong with adding the rose canes. We'll be heart broken if she loses her eggs now. As I said, if you're desperate, cheap cat food will attract the raccoon.
Yep .. billyporter, that'd work ..
(but, scutler: chunk it over into your furtherest neighbor's yard - so's to attract 'em in a whole nuther direction!) .. LOL
(jes kiddin' folks)
- Magpye
I'm so envious! I've never even SEEN a cardinal! Thanks so much for sharing this experience.
A few summers ago I was startled at the sound of a bird at around midnight. About the 3rd time I heard it, I decided to go investigate. I discovered a juvenile blackbird feeding on the moths under the dusk to dawn light, and it kept smashing into the house. It only stopped after I captured it and took it to trees away from the light. Silly bird!
You are so kind. Blackbirds are not everyone's favorite bird, but a baby is a baby isn't it?
Funny that the blackbird family consists of orioles, meadowlarks, bobolinks, grackles and cowbirds.
Well, so far I haven't taken any action except..
Friday I called the local office of the US Dept of Wildlife and the SC Wildlife Dept and the Clemson Ext Service to ask about this matter. Not unexpectedly, they all thought me a bit "kookoo". They were unanimous in their opinion that I should "but out" and leave nature alone. Hmmm, odd opinion for agencies which EXIST to intervene on behalf of nature... One suggested that I might be able to get the raccoons captured and killed. I appreciate the thought, but while I'm trying to help the Cardinal; I don't really want to order the execution of the 3 or more raccoons who haven't done anything - yet. - and are really only doing what raccoons do.
Don't laugh but last night I ran out not once but twice in my PJ's when I heard some animal outside my bedroom window. The 2nd time even got the dog barking so, in a moment of panic, fearing "my" precious little eggs might already be "scrambled", I turned on a yard full of flood lights and ran out ready to fight. Heck, I probably scared her more than the critter did! Boy it's going to be a long 13 days.
Also, day and night, whether working or walking the dog, I find that I am tip-toeing about the garden trying not to wake the "babies" or upset the new mom. It's a small garden. Now it's a nursery.
So nice to have your own personal nursery.
Keeping a close eye on this thread, that's for sure.
Joan
OK, now you've finally done it. Even I'm starting to get "labor pains".
lolol. : )
Just came in from pulling a few weeds (while holding my camera) ... and, ok, trying to sneak a peak at mom and babies without looking TOO nosey. I was weeding closer, and closer, ... there I was with my "cup" against the proverbial door as both mom AND dad returned home - busted AGAIN.
They stopped in the heavy cover on top of the arbor near ,but not on, the nest. As I was only about 5' away from the nest, I put my head and eyes down and backed away slowly, shoulders down, trying to convey a non-threatening posture. I sat down in a chair on the patio where I was still only 10' or so away. With that, she promptly hopped back on the nest right in front of me. It was such an AWESOME moment! It was as if she understood what I was trying to "say" - that I was not a threat and that I was giving her space. He even stayed on top of the arbor for a while but flew away when I tried to maneuver into postition for a much coveted photograph.
For some time now I have noticed that the males seem to be much less trusting than the females. The females were 1st each step of the way in getting closer to me: 1st to come to the feeder, 1st to stay in the yard with me, etc. I thought about this and decided that the males bright color is a liablility that makes him just POP out against almost any background - it's the complete antithesis to camo. So I figure that's why he is less social. He knows he's a target with a big bullseye on his back.
ok, now that I've "developed" the pics from my snooping efforts...Here is one from before the couple returned. I was hoping maybe I could see something when I zoomed in, but actually she wasn't there anyhow.
And here is one after...see the touch of red top right, that's her head! Ok, ok, it's not much but I'm new at this snooping thing, and she's obviously a professional nest builder because it holds her and the eggs quite well.
I have a macro lens but can't get it on the camera because the adapter for my lens cover is stuck. : (
It's a known issue with this camera and one that I only learned about AFTER it was too late.
Ok, I'm not really trying to drive the cardinal family crazy but they are right smack outside my back door, right beside the patio, and at the intersection of two of my most heavily traveled garden paths...and it's that time of year when new plants, bulbs, blooms, etc are popping up everywhere. So it's inevitable that our "path" (no pun...) will cross.
While she was away, I took advantage of the opportunity to check out and photograph my plants on the arbor path, esp near the arbor - where I just spied the 1st bloom of clematis pink champagne atop the arbor. She never seems to be too far away. She returned. She is really getting used to having me around. I was maybe 6' from the nest when she returned and, astonishingly, hopped right past me and onto the nest. I tried to grab a picture. I didn't have time to focus, zoom, anything - just point the thing in that direction and hope for the best. Well, the best wasn't all that good. Here is the photo. She is a blur on the right side; I added a circle around her. The nest is on the arbor mid left edge of photo. It was so incredible to have her come back so close to me. I think the opportunity to get so close to them has been more exciting than the eggs.
Here is todays pic of the nest. No real change - it's a little like watching grass grow - but I think she did add some screening on this side - see that section of paper she "stole" from my compost pile? I think that's a little like pulling the curtains closed when you see annoying folks outside peeking in. lol
This message was edited Apr 2, 2006 1:49 PM
If anything, I'm enjoying the green of your rosebush! The males are aggressivly territorial and are good to guard the family. They kind of take over the young when they leave the nest. I'm glad you figured out their due date.
Hi billy, so good to hear from you. I was starting to feel like I was talking to myself. lol - not like it would be the 1st time!
I am SO enjoying this opportunity to observe the happy couple up close. And yes, the new father is ALWAYS hanging around nearby, and he fusses at me often. Today, I had to rake up clippings in that area to prepare for mowing. He was in the neighbor's crabapple tree "talking" to me. I kind of felt a little sorry for him; it sounded like he was asking me not to harm his family. Then again, maybe he was just over there making a lot of noise trying to distract my attention away from his family. It's a real up close lesson in nature.
There are also times when I'm tired of having to tip-toe around my garden. Sunday I assembled some large planters on the patio, along with a deck box, and a tractor scooter. I hated having to be doing all of that so close to her, but time, tide, and summer wait for no woman, or something like that. I just sat on the patio with my back to her. She stayed in her nest, eyeing me cautiously (or so it seemed when I did get a peek).
She is letting me work very close to her now. She seems to be becoming somewhat desensitized to my presence. Today I picked up rose clipping up to 1' from her, walked to within 2' of her on another side to pull the bag of clippings (that had been there SO long) off of the bag holder, and even rolled that huge trash bin (the one the city gives you to roll trash to the curb) along the path beside her. During all of that she stayed on the nest. The 1st few days she would have flown away before I got that close.
From what I've read the male is supposed to feed her while she's minding the eggs. I do see him coming and going a lot when I'm not around. I also see her making quick trips to the nearby feeder. There is a birdbath across the yard. Sunday I put another one on the patio so she will have water close by. I'm trying to change the water every few days now since I know that she can't afford to go very far away in search of cleaner water if it gets icky.
Here she is on the nest today - head facing right. 7 days to go.
I wonder if the unhatched chicks hear the different chips and chirps of the parents so they are familiar with it when they do hatch?
I believe the eggs shells are somewhat porous to permit oxygen through, so that plus conduction of sound waves through surrounding materials should allow them to "hear" to some degree. I feel sure that some type of bonding is going on between mother and babies right now.
Lately, she seems to be on that nest ALWAYS. I have not found the nest empty in days. I put a birdbath about 8' from her, and the male brings her seeds. Yesterday, the male came back while I was outside. He sat in the neighbors crabapple and "clicked" to her. He was SO beautiful - the most fabulous and intense red ever. The crabapple has bright candy apple red buds and pink and white flowers. It was an awesome backdrop for such a gorgeous bird - and me without a camera!
At one point when I was elsewhere in the garden, I heard a loud, bird-screeching,fighting sound coming from the arbor. I hurried over to find birds "fighting". I couldn't tell which birds, they were just a fast moving blur. I yelled at them. They parted and went in different directions in the tangle of roses. One of them was a mockingbird on top of the arbor. I stood and fussed and him/her for a while, thinking that he was bothering the cardinal. In prior years the mockingbirds have been territorial; one year they repeatedly chased the bluebirds out of the garden : (
Then I saw this. oops! My garden is home to many families. I think I interrupted something...
Aaawww, good picture. Your photos come out so clear. I bet if anyone gets near Mama cardinal, Papa will be right there. I bet she appreciates having water closer. I don't know how long they can be off the eggs. Does the male ever sit on them? How many days to hatching now? I've lost track.
This is so exciting. I have many cardinal pairs, but I don't know where their nests are.
This morning a pair of mourning doves were in a romantic mood. At least he was. LOL He kept cooing and cooing to her and she kept trying to avoid him. It was comical to watch his neck puff out when he cooed.
I just love this time of year.
Susan
=^..^=
What interesting photos and stories! I'll have to keep an eye on this thread and see how all progresses! I myself, Would put the other 'Freddy Kruger' pieces in the open spots if it bothers you, I've done a lot work around my cardinal nests and they never abandoned the nest or seemed too distraught about it, They'd fly off if I got too close, But always came back ( It's not like I bothered them a real lot though, I just had some things to get done by where the nest was) It would be good to keep in mind that raccoons and most animals like 'easy meals', Not usually something they would have to get all picked up for, ( Theres always an exception depending on how hungry they are)Also, They are usually nocternal ( Though they are out during the day sometimes) and all birds sit silently, without movement, On there nest, so unless there is smell or movement, The raccoons will usually not bother and will instead go in the direction of a food smell. Glad your keeping watch over them, And I look forwad to all the new news on them!
I go out to get the paper at the end of the driveway and I just stop and listen to the birds. All of them are singing. The robins are just starting to make nests now that we have mud!
Hi billy, I think this is H-6 day. No, I've never seen the dad on the nest. From what I've read, he will only bring food to her, and later to the babies. His flaming red color would give away the secret location in a hurry. Her subdued color works really well; she blends nicely with the nest. Check out the photo below. Oh, and thanks for the compliment on the photos. Actually, I'm using a very powerful camera - and doing so very badly - but while the camera is capable of doing much better when "driven" correctly, it, none the less, raises my score considerably. (It has a dial with maybe 2 dozen settings; I only recently learned to used a second one.lol.and it's been a year) But the mockingbirds are not at all shy; they are the opposite of the cardinals, so they stayed put for a while allowing me quite a few attempts.
In the photo, her head faces right (toward the arbor), and her tail points left. I have noticed that she always sits in this same direction. Behind her is about 4-5' of rose thicket. I doubt anything could get through there in one piece. By sitting this way she has a good view of the 2 sides that are more open and of the lattice panel on the arbor (thats where I point the camera to get pics of the eggs so it's the most exposed and that's where her beak is!). You can barely make her out in the photo and then only because of the red line on her tail feathers and the red on top of her head.
Hi Susan, Yes, isn't this such a MAGICAL time of year! Hang in there. You never know which morning you will walk out to catch a cardial putting finishing touches on her nest!
Duh, I never considered his brilliance! And I think I know so much, laugh. It is amazing you ever found her nest. I bet one of the little ones nest there next year and one of their brood the next, etc. You won't have to worry about scaring them off anymore. They've established a safe place to nest and a memory of it. You're all set!
Hi IRIS, I feel so compelled to share this incredible experience. I'm glad that you are there and are enjoying it. Although I have found the racoon in the yard in the daytime a few times, when I heard the ruckus today, I wasn't thinking racoon. I just knew something was going on over there, and I was planning to get in the middle of it. Thanks for giving me your opinion on the issue of adding cover to the open sides. I'm still thinking about it; figure they need it even more when the babies arrive.
She is getting very comfortable with me now. In the beginning, she would fly away if I got too close. Now, I can walk right up to the nest AND look her in the eye and she doesn't move. Before, when I was even 10' away, she raised her head up in the nest and followed my every move. Now, she seems to all but ignore me. I've pulled weeds from around the arbor, taken macro shots of the azaleas at the base, dragged my wheelbarrow and other equipment past her on the narrow path, etc and she never flies away. It's such an experience!
It is unseasonably dry here right now. I have an automatic watering system, but only use it for emergencies. Today I turned it on. After it ran for 1 hour ea in each of the 2 backyard sections, I walked outside to find Mama cardinal "playing" in the spray. She seemed to be enjoying the cool down. Temps here are around 80F. Even after the sprinkler stopped, she and hubbie flitted about in the saturated willow tree, causing little glistening raindrops in the tree to "rain" down on them repeatedly, all the while talking like crazy. Then she hopped into the smaller, shallow birdbath and bathed for what seemed an eternity. Eventually, he flew away and she flew over to the other rose thicket - an overgrown rambler on a section of fence at the corner of the house. I decided to do a 2nd sprinkler run, for the plants and her. The sprinkler controls are mounted on the back corner of the house right by that rose. She was maybe 3' away. I walked over, opened the cover, pressed the manual button, turned and walked back over to the garden bench; she did not fly away! She really is getting comfortable around me! She would never have done that before. Finally, on her way back to the nest, she flew right past me.
Also, while she and hubbie were in the tree, I took advantage of the opportunity to peek in and check "our" eggs. Neither of them seemed alarmed. They didn't come running back to defend the nest. They didn't scold me. Nothing.
I tried to get pics of them in the willow. Haven't downloaded them yet to see if anything is viable. Not too hopeful, but if I do get anything, I'll post it later.
billy, what a wonderful thought - having them return each year to the nest area. I hope you are right. On that note, a cardinal pair raised some chicks in my yard last year. I never saw the nest but noticed the babies when the parents introduced them to the feeder. The youngsters stayed around my yard for the rest of the summer. I noticed that they were more "tame" than the parents. They would fly right up to the little 10' tree beside me and sit there. I remember thinking that they were probably so much more comfortable around me because they had grown up around me. Maybe one or more of the new parents IS one of those that fledged here last summer. Maybe the individuals did not go from afraid to enter the yard to this level of comfort. Maybe the generations did so.
It's possible. You have something to look forward to for sure!
This message was edited Apr 5, 2006 10:12 PM
Howdy scutler ..
Jes wanted to drop in long enuff to try to 'ketchup' (hee) .. and to mention, that altho' I may not post each day - I'm tryin' my best to keep the thread monitored for your updates.
And am still enjoying your posts of documenting your wonderful birding days while going about life .. in your yarden!
I've always wondered if the vermin and critters (in our lives and yards), can maybe hear our lil giggles or see the joy in our hearts .. from being 'in tune' to their lives. I sure nuff like to think so .. and can't anyone tell me any different, either! .. (heehee)
((huggs))
- Magpye
This message was edited Apr 5, 2006 9:57 PM
We hear ya Magpye and it makes our little ol' hearts go pit-a-pat to know that you are so joyful.
The gang.
