[TN-Bird] Scissor-tailed Flycatcher observations - Springfield (Robertson Co.)
- From: Tony Lance <tonylance@xxxxxxx>
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 20:14:55 -0500
The pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers that I've been watching in Springfield
since May raised four chicks, and the youngsters left the nest this past
Tuesday. I was very lucky to have been there when they decided it was time to
go. When I arrived after work two were already perched on branches above the
nest; the other two were still huddled in it. A short time later the two
laggards joined their more adventurous siblings. All four moved with remarkable
confidence to branches higher up in their nest tree, making short flights from
one perch to another.
When I checked on them Wednesday morning they had left their home tree
altogether and flown to another one about 80 feet away. I went back to look for
them again late that afternoon and couldn't find them right away. I listened
for their frequent vocalizations and looked for the parents. After about 10
minutes of driving, looking and listening I found them more than 200 yards
from their nest, perched securely in the upper branches of a tall locust tree,
having crossed a road and a field to get there. I was really surprised that
they were able to fly that far having just left the nest the day before.
That same day, while watching the adults fly up and pluck insects out of the
air, I was even more surprised to see another adult male drop by for a visit.
Where had he come from? I've been watching these birds almost daily for the
last couple of months and this was the first time I'd seen a third adult bird.
I suspect he is the pair's sole surviving offspring from last year and has been
hanging around in a nearby field. With his siblings now out of the nest,
perhaps he stopped by to meet them. In any case, he and the resident male put
on quite a show of aerial acrobatics before leaving.
The adults have displayed fine parenting skills, keeping a close watch on their
chicks and making sure they're well fed. On Thursday and Friday when it was
raining and few insects were flying, the adults plucked ripe blackberries and
fed them to the youngsters. At first the little ones dropped the berries from
their beaks, not showing much interest in non-insect fare. But as time went on,
and perhaps as their hunger increased, they began to eagerly accept the fruit.
As I was watching this behavior yesterday I was startled to see a Cooper's Hawk
make a lightning pass within 20 feet of the chicks only to have the adults
launch into a swift, angry pursuit and chase the accipiter away.
When I drove by this afternoon the youngsters had moved across the road to the
far side of the field and were high in an oak tree, not easily seen, being fed
by their hard-working parents.
Tony Lance
Springfield, TN
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