[TN-Bird] Pair behavior: Brown thrashers, east. bluebirds and great-crested flycatchers
- From: Viclcsw@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 6 May 2012 13:19:04 -0400 (EDT)
A pair of brown thrashers is nesting in my yard and offering close
observation from time to time, though I'm aware their tolerance may change
when
eggs hatch. Today I observed the pair ground feeding together at 10:51 a.m.
prior to the female assuming a crouched posture on the ground facing the
male with tail flared. The male responded by flying to her and mounting;
female reversed her position to accomodate copulation. Ground foraging
continued for several minutes following.
Peak egg-laying is reported to be early to mid-April according to the Atlas
of Breeding Birds of TN by Charles P. Nicholson
The pair was observed adding nesting material earlier in the week (May
2nd) and have built a nest in a limb crotch of a dead dogwood covered by
wisteria vines, approximately 10 feet high, and a few feet from the house
deck.
I've posted a blog with views of the nest site and foraging images:
_http://vickiehenderson.blogspot.com/_ (http://vickiehenderson.blogspot.com/)
May 5th a pair of Great-crested flycatchers traveled through the yard
calling continuously to each other, perhaps in search of a nesting site. I
hear them frequently but not this type of conspicuous vocal exchange between a
pair. As I type this, the male is in full song on a high perch beside the
house. I have an empty nest box waiting!
Eastern bluebirds have hatched their first brood from a nest site across
the street, and have returned to bring three juveniles to the mealworm
feeder in my yard. I believe a red-shouldered hawk observed perched in the
yard several times in March may have been the reason a different nest site
was selected for the first brood. The female has been nest building in the
nestbox near the mealworm feeder for two days with the male encouraging her
with wing-waves and chatter.
Vickie Henderson
Knoxville, TN
South Knox County
Other related posts:
- » [TN-Bird] Pair behavior: Brown thrashers, east. bluebirds and great-crested flycatchers - Viclcsw
