Bushtit nesting in Fort Collins

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Yesterday, sitting at the computer with my Fort Collins apartment door wide open, I noticed the familiar tinkling sound of bushtits in the courtyard.  Last year they nested on this property (nest building first noticed on 12March2016) about a mile east of CSU and it appears they will do so again.  In fact, they are refurbishing the same nest which successfully produced a brood last summer.  In the "Birds of North America" account on bushtits by Sarah Sloane, it states the following: "In Chiricahua Mtns., se. Arizona, on only 1 occasion was a nest reused a second season, and this was late in season by a year-old inexperienced male; nest had remained unusually intact through 2 winters due to heavy concealment in a clump of mistletoe (SAS). Most nests deteriorate rapidly when abandoned."  The nest here is at the end of a lower branch (about 20 feet above the ground) on the ene side (catches the morning sun) of a large CO blue spruce.  As is typical of the species, the substantial nest "bag" is well concealed and woven into the spruce foliage.  Even knowing where it is and looking straight up at the nest site, it takes me a minute or so to locate the nest material hiding in the needles.

I would also note Coen Dexter mentions in his bushtit account for the Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas II book that the earliest recorded nest-building was 17March.  Thus, nest-refurbishing on 14February is either a freak event triggered by hormonal influence on Valentine's Day, preliminary activity influenced by both warm weather and the existence of a suitable old structure, an indicator things are changing, or most likely, just the early end of activity that birders, especially BBA atlasers accustomed to doing most of their work in "typical" bird breeding months, have missed.

Anybody else noticing bushtit nesting activity out there?

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

[snowy.owlets]

Hi Everyone,

Bushtits are roaming the parking lot at my workplace in Boulder. They have been here most days this month. They usually stop flocking and travel separately when they're nesting, but I have not seen this yet. Last year a pair nested in an ornamental juniper nearby. That pair was busy by early April, but I don't have an exact date.

All the neighborhood flickers are getting hormonal and noisy now, so at least some birds think spring is here.

Mark Miller 

Longmont, CO 

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S® 5 ACTIVE™, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

[David Suddjian]

Funny you should ask... Today at home I saw a pair (first time so far this season I've just seen 2) feeding at one of my suet cages,and then they moved to visit a cage I hung filled with cattail fluff. They fussed with the fluff and then both carried some off out of view. I had presumed carrying nest material, but I could not tell where they went with it.

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO

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[Ted Floyd]

Cool observations. Thanks to Dave & Co. for posting. 

I too have seen two Bushtit pairs--in eastern Boulder County--in the past couple days. I note that they are apparent pairs, as opposed to the roving, roiling flocks present all winter. And I note in particular that I am starting to hear the high, ringing, ding-a-ling-a-ling vocalization that I have conjectured to function as song in the species.

Although I hear that particular vocalization all year long, it sure seems to pick up in late winter and early spring. (And, of course, it is not out of the ordinary for some songbirds to sing all year. Think of Red-winged Blackbirds and Western Meadowlarks on warm, sunny afternoons in the dead of winter.) For more conjecture, and even a bit of data, on Bushtit song, check out:

http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/4885

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado