Hello Backyard Birders,

Last year our neighbors had a nest box with Chestnut-backed chickadees. It is still up but is no longer accepting guests since it had its door ripped open and has still not been repaired.

Hoping to entice them to nest in our garden, I put up a few extra boxes in the area. The last few days we've been noticing a pair going in an out of the dovecote my husband built years ago and placed on a 6' post from an old clothesline. Today, we are seeing them gathering moss (guess they didn't get the Rolling Stone memo) from the apple tree next right outside their new residence. Oddly, the measurements are not the usuals given (only a couple inches floor depth inside the door) for chickadees but guess they are going to make it work. Have had Black capped nest in another house and wrens in the dovecote, among others. Apparently their requirements aren't as cast in stone as written.

Other birds are nesting in the area (hummingbirds, towhees, juncos) but have not located their "well-masked" building sites.

Somehow, just knowing they are here within our safe zone (except for a few neighboring cats) is enough entertainment to carry us through these uncertain times.

Stay Safe and Take Care!

Caryn / Wedgwood Backyard Birder
Instagram: at bluedarner1