What did I find you are asking. I have been hoping to find a nest of a Dickcissel for years and yesterday was my day! I had hope to see their blue eggs, but finding the nestlings is pretty neato too! Gracie and I were starting out on the afternoon walk when I heard the Dickcissel chirping above me on the powerline. He had a green grasshopper in his beak. That could only mean one thing since he had not eaten it already…babies! I counted six babies. Even when I watched him go down to the nest it was hard to find. They are ground nesters. I checked where I thought he had gone down but no luck. So I backed up to watch a parent take more to their babies. I didn’t have to wait long before mom came again with another grasshopper.
I pulled back to see her come in with her catch. I just stood there waiting for her to go in. She did not disappoint. I kept my eye on her and the surrounding clumps of little bluestem and other plants. I thought the nest would be on the dirt.
I walked over gingerly being very careful where I stepped. I reached the spot and started to move the old grass around expecting the nest to be right on the ground. I was having no luck. Then I looked in the middle of the old clump of little bluestem and there they were! Success!
Beautiful babies!
Feathers starting to come out of their sheaths.
They were hungry still. I moved away and another grasshopper in the beak of the parent for their hungry brood.
These are the Bewick’s wren babies that I have. They are much easier to find in a nestbox. LOL. They hatched around May 27th. I have had only one box with bluebirds about month ago. They successfully fledged. I think our cold weather must have been pretty hard on the bluebirds here from what I have heard from others that check boxes.
What a great find!
I hope the babies keep their mouths shut in the rain. We have gotten .14” this morning.
How exciting to find those babies in the bluestem!
Our backyard bluebirds are on their second clutch this year. Almost ready to fly the coop!
Sarah, So good to hear from you! And really good to hear your bluebirds are faring well!
Beautiful babies! Good find!!
Thats exciting. Ive never found a dickcissel nest
I am surprised since you were out on the farm growing up.
Wow, this is great news! How exciting!
Mary, i may have seen one but forgotten. That was a yr or two ago.
Judy, It takes awhile for the memories sometimes to bubble out. Cool you found one too!