Cam # 1 is Whitewashed & Diversity of Prey Increases

It appears as though our camera # 1 has been hit with” whitewash” and now the entire right hand field of view is obscured. Before nesting began we had mounted that camera higher in the box in the hope that it would be out of range of squirting chicks, but evidently one got in a lucky shot. It’s possible that like last year, camera 1 will get cleaned by driving rain or by a nestlings rubbing against it, but there’s no guarantee of that. Meanwhile we still have cams 2 & 3 and they are both working fine. Cam 3 in particular offers a great view of the entire nest site. Before next season’s nesting we hope to mount new cameras on either side of the box (both will be high above the whitewash line). These cameras will have wider fields of view and so we’ll be sure not to miss any of the action.

Besides the nestlings growing like weeds and starting to put out the very beginnings of wing and tail feathers, other changes have been taking place at the nest site. From the beginning of the season to now, there’s been a notable lack in diversity of prey species coming into the box – that is compared to what was cataloged last season. However, in the past few days, we’ve seen a large uptick in prey diversity. Yesterday, Ares brought back his first cuckoo for the season. He also managed what might be his most obscure catch yet – a Dunlin (in breeding plumage, no less). Eastern Kingbird, Tree Swallow and Chimney Swift have also been on the menu recently. As you might imagine, the Chimney Swift wasn’t greeted by Astrid as a legitimate meal, and Ares was forced to leave with it. For the most part Astrid is handling the feedings, but once and a while, Ares is allowed to do one.