April 14, 2005 - out and about with Shirley

Among veteran volunteer Shirley Murphy's many duties is tracking the success of the nesting chickadees, titmice, and tree swallows that use the nestboxes on the Reserve. Here she uses a flashlight and dentist's mirror to peer into a box, to see if it's safe to open it. If the chicks are too far along in development, opening the box might allow them to jump or fall out. Note Shirley's mosquito netting – they've been fierce this year.


Here's what Shirley sees – seven Chestnut-backed Chickadee eggs.

Momma bird watches intently from nearby, and the minute the nestbox is closed she goes back on the eggs.

In another nestbox, chickadee chicks – we can see at least three wide-beaked, bug-eyed faces in there.