FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] RPT: Prothonotary Warbler Nests

["scott freidhof" <scottf@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

June 1, 2007:  After a brief sighting of a prothonotary warbler at the
Lewis County WMA last May, we decided to be proactive and place some
nest boxes there this past March.  And today, a nest with 3 eggs was in
a box about 40 yards from the bird's location last year.  We placed a
predator guard around the tree to keep the raccoons and snakes out.  The
female flew out of the box as we were opening it.  The male sang
continuously while we were there.  About 200 yards further along in this
wetland is a second nest in a box.  One egg was present and mud stains
around the entrance hole suggested that birds have been going in and
out.  However we did not see or hear any birds at this sight.  There are
2 more boxes in this long narrow wetland sandwiched between soybean
fields.  Those 2 boxes were empty.  The habitat difference between the 2
boxes with nests and the 2 without was easy to see.  The 2 with nests
are shaded under the canopy of silver maples.  The 2 unoccupied nests
are on dead snag trees in a portion of the wetland without a canopy.
All the boxes were placed over standing water back in March but the box
with 3 eggs is now over dry ground as the water has receded.  A quick
check of 4 more boxes on the north end of the WMA yielded 3 house wren
stick nests (without eggs) and 1 tree swallow nest.  However we did hear
a male prothonotary singing near the boxes.

 

Scott Freidhof

Rowan County