Great Crested Flycatchers Fledge Successfully

[Alfred Maley]

A feisty bunch of young Great Crested Flycatcher teenagers has poured forth from the Wood Duck nest box over the last few days, with the last one yesterday on June 29. The nest itself was completed on May 24 and a typical clutch would have 5-6 eggs. So now the woods resound with little Weeps.

Nest visits by the parents with food reached a peak of one every two minutes and then dropped to one every 10 minutes as the young fledged, one by one. Odonates numbers have plummeted, a great relief as now they don’t need to be identified…

Nests in the predator-resistant duck nest boxes are  quite successful, in contrast with natural cavities that are accessible to squirrels, raccoons, fishers and the like.

Two of the duck boxes in the yard were occupied successfully by Wood Ducks.

The Barred Owls are hanging about and have even taken to sunbathing by the driveway, which is totally bizarre. Today I looked out from the open garage door and there was Mr. Owl not 10 feet away, sprawled on a bit of grass by the pavement. They seem to like the peace and quiet here.

Al Maley
Hampstead NH