JulieD'sBlog

• May. 9, 2008 - Chickadee-dee-dee

For the last 8 years Carolina Chickadees have built nests in a birdhouse on our backporch. Over the years we have come to look forward to having baby birds so close by. I love hearing them when one of their parents brings food into the birdhouse. One year I was even able to watch all six babies fledge. This year I didn't think we were going to have a nest in our birdhouse. The first day I hung the house there was some interest as I saw several chickadees check out the birdhouse. Usually by now the baby birds are gone. So the other day I moved the birdhouse and put a beautiful hanging basket on the hook in it's place. Yesterday I noticed a pair of chickadees flying in and out of the birdhouse. Last night I checked to see if they had begun to build a nest and found it completely empty. This afternoon I noticed the chickadees were still flying in and out, so I peeked in and saw that they were indeed building a nest. I had moved the birdhouse and it was in a place that predators could easily get to the eggs or baby birds (and we have many black snakes on our property). So I moved the hanging plant and put the birdhouse back on it's hook. It was only 4 feet from where it had been. The chickadees were not happy and fussed at me for quite a while. It broke my heart watching them not being able to find their birdhouse. I prayed and asked the Lord to help them find it and they did! They were confused for quite a while though and continued to fuss at me. They were gone for a long time and I wondered if they had decided to build their nest somewhere else. I ran inside and got on Cornell's Ornithology website. I saw that they had a phone number so I called and a woman answered. I told her the situation and she told me I had done the right thing, that the chickadee was a stalwart little bird and they would figure it out. About that time both birds returned with beaks full of nesting material. So cute! Tonight my husband and I sat outside enjoying the cool of the night and the beautiful trees. The little chickadees were so busy and I believe are here to stay. Here are a few pictures: This is a picture of the birdhouse. If you look closely you can see a chickadee peeking out. So sweet! Chickadee-dee-dee Happy Week-End and Happy Mother's Day!!! Julie D.

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