RE: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
RHWOs were definitely bringing out fecal material this morning...saw it twice. Given that the young inside are not so big as to prevent the adults from entering easily, I'd say it will be a week yet before fledging, maybe longer. Photos to come... Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com ***NEW*** Music of the Birds Vol 1 ebook for Apple iPad now available from iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/music-of-the-birds-v1/id529347014?mt=11 From: bounce-107848140-5851...@list.cornell.edu [bounce-107848140-5851...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Dave Nutter [nutter.d...@me.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 8:32 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point Tom Riley and Bill Roberts first noted 2 adult Red-headed Woodpeckers flying around along South Mays Point Road on Wednesday 3 July. On 7 July I saw each adult tossing wood chips from separate apparently old holes in the same dead tree. I think they have since concentrated on just one of those holes. --Dave Nutter -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
Back in the 80's when I was living in SW Michigan (near Kellogg Biological Station, in Delton, MI), a pair of red-headed woodpeckers brought their fledglings every year to eat mulberries at a productive group of trees. More unusual that they would take them to protein-needy nestlings (albeit very late nestlings). But robins in the same Michigan property fed their nestlings on mulberries. Anne Clark On Aug 20, 2013, at 6:51 PM, Paul wrote: Spent about three hours watching the Red-headed Woodpeckers at May’s Point this morning. Very active until about 10 am. Saw an interesting sequence when a Merlin made a pass at the nest cavity,, actually several passes to which the adult RHW responded with loud calls and some defensive attacks. Thereafter, the pair were on sentry duty, one in an adjacent cavity watching south and the other to the north in a tree along the river. The Merlin was in the area for about 5 minutes. They stayed on alert for about 20 minutes longer before resuming activity. More interesting was a discovery on what they are bringing into the nest cavity. (Have not yet seen chicks at the opening. Has anyone?) While sometimes, I can see that they are bringing insects such as dragonflies, at other times it appeared to be round objects. Did not seem possible to be acorns. Now, I’ve posted some images on my blog (http://birds-n-blooms.blogspot.com/) which show an adult bringing wild grapes to the cavity. There are ripe grapes on the vines in the area. On my first visit (July 24), I recorded an adult picking Woody Nightshade berries from vines at the base of dead trees to the north east of the nest tree. Had not expected woodpeckers to be eating fruit. Paul Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
I'm not surprised at them eating fruit, which I've seen many woodpecker species do many times, but I am surprised they would feed fruit to nestlings. Is it possible they are caching the food? Has anyone seen the adults emerge with fecal sacs? Would this species carry off fecal sacs? Nice photos by the way, Paul, and thanks for taking the time to observe carefully.--Dave NutterOn Aug 20, 2013, at 07:06 PM, Anne Clark anneb.cl...@gmail.com wrote:Back in the 80's when I was living in SW Michigan (near Kellogg Biological Station, in Delton, MI), a pair of red-headed woodpeckers brought their fledglings every year to eat mulberries at a productive group of trees.More unusual that they would take them to protein-needy nestlings (albeit very late nestlings). But robins in the same Michigan property fed their nestlings on mulberries. Anne ClarkOn Aug 20, 2013, at 6:51 PM, Paul wrote:Spent about three hours watching the Red-headed Woodpeckers at May’s Point this morning. Very active until about 10 am. Saw an interesting sequence when a Merlin made a pass at the nest cavity,, actually several passes to which the adult RHW responded with loud calls and some defensive attacks. Thereafter, the pair were on sentry duty, one in an adjacent cavity watching south and the other to the north in a tree along the river. The Merlin was in the area for about 5 minutes. They stayed on alert for about 20 minutes longer before resuming activity.More interesting was a discovery on what they are bringing into the nest cavity. (Have not yet seen chicks at the opening. Has anyone?) While sometimes, I can see that they are bringing insects such as dragonflies, at other times it appeared to be round objects. Did not seem possible to be acorns. Now, I’ve posted some images on my blog (http://birds-n-blooms.blogspot.com/) which show an adult bringing wild grapes to the cavity. There are ripe grapes on the vines in the area. On my first visit (July 24), I recorded an adult picking Woody Nightshade berries from vines at the base of dead trees to the north east of the nest tree. Had not expected woodpeckers to be eating fruit.Paul Schmitt--Cayugabirds-L List Info:Welcome and BasicsRules and InformationSubscribe, Configuration and LeaveArchives:The Mail ArchiveSurfbirdsBirdingOnThe.NetPlease submit your observations to eBird!Cayugabirds-L List Info:Welcome and BasicsRules and InformationSubscribe, Configuration and LeaveArchives:The Mail ArchiveSurfbirdsBirdingOnThe.NetPlease submit your observations to eBird!-- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
Hey there's a thought...caching food...definitely something that woodpeckers do. Anyway, woodpeckers do indeed bring out fecal material (a mix of droppings and wood chips rather than a sac (songbirds only I think)), but one might have to watch for a number of hours before it happens. I may have to head up there myself...I know, what took me so long, right? Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com ***NEW*** Music of the Birds Vol 1 ebook for Apple iPad now available from iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/music-of-the-birds-v1/id529347014?mt=11 From: bounce-107847794-5851...@list.cornell.edu [bounce-107847794-5851...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Dave Nutter [nutter.d...@me.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 7:32 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point I'm not surprised at them eating fruit, which I've seen many woodpecker species do many times, but I am surprised they would feed fruit to nestlings. Is it possible they are caching the food? Has anyone seen the adults emerge with fecal sacs? Would this species carry off fecal sacs? Nice photos by the way, Paul, and thanks for taking the time to observe carefully. --Dave Nutter On Aug 20, 2013, at 07:06 PM, Anne Clark anneb.cl...@gmail.com wrote: Back in the 80's when I was living in SW Michigan (near Kellogg Biological Station, in Delton, MI), a pair of red-headed woodpeckers brought their fledglings every year to eat mulberries at a productive group of trees. More unusual that they would take them to protein-needy nestlings (albeit very late nestlings). But robins in the same Michigan property fed their nestlings on mulberries. Anne Clark On Aug 20, 2013, at 6:51 PM, Paul wrote: Spent about three hours watching the Red-headed Woodpeckers at May’s Point this morning. Very active until about 10 am. Saw an interesting sequence when a Merlin made a pass at the nest cavity,, actually several passes to which the adult RHW responded with loud calls and some defensive attacks. Thereafter, the pair were on sentry duty, one in an adjacent cavity watching south and the other to the north in a tree along the river. The Merlin was in the area for about 5 minutes. They stayed on alert for about 20 minutes longer before resuming activity. More interesting was a discovery on what they are bringing into the nest cavity. (Have not yet seen chicks at the opening. Has anyone?) While sometimes, I can see that they are bringing insects such as dragonflies, at other times it appeared to be round objects. Did not seem possible to be acorns. Now, I’ve posted some images on my blog (http://birds-n-blooms.blogspot.com/) which show an adult bringing wild grapes to the cavity. There are ripe grapes on the vines in the area. On my first visit (July 24), I recorded an adult picking Woody Nightshade berries from vines at the base of dead trees to the north east of the nest tree. Had not expected woodpeckers to be eating fruit. Paul Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://ebird.org/content/ebird/! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://ebird.org/content/ebird/! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://ebird.org/content/ebird/! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
I thought I mentioned it before, but Linda Clougherty and I saw then caching food a couple weeks ago. We did see them with some kind of nut and also insects. Really cool! Ann Mitchell Sent from my IPhone On Aug 20, 2013, at 7:42 PM, Marie P. Read m...@cornell.edu wrote: Hey there's a thought...caching food...definitely something that woodpeckers do. Anyway, woodpeckers do indeed bring out fecal material (a mix of droppings and wood chips rather than a sac (songbirds only I think)), but one might have to watch for a number of hours before it happens. I may have to head up there myself...I know, what took me so long, right? Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com ***NEW*** Music of the Birds Vol 1 ebook for Apple iPad now available from iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/music-of-the-birds-v1/id529347014?mt=11 From: bounce-107847794-5851...@list.cornell.edu [bounce-107847794-5851...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Dave Nutter [nutter.d...@me.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 7:32 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point I'm not surprised at them eating fruit, which I've seen many woodpecker species do many times, but I am surprised they would feed fruit to nestlings. Is it possible they are caching the food? Has anyone seen the adults emerge with fecal sacs? Would this species carry off fecal sacs? Nice photos by the way, Paul, and thanks for taking the time to observe carefully. --Dave Nutter On Aug 20, 2013, at 07:06 PM, Anne Clark anneb.cl...@gmail.com wrote: Back in the 80's when I was living in SW Michigan (near Kellogg Biological Station, in Delton, MI), a pair of red-headed woodpeckers brought their fledglings every year to eat mulberries at a productive group of trees. More unusual that they would take them to protein-needy nestlings (albeit very late nestlings). But robins in the same Michigan property fed their nestlings on mulberries. Anne Clark On Aug 20, 2013, at 6:51 PM, Paul wrote: Spent about three hours watching the Red-headed Woodpeckers at May’s Point this morning. Very active until about 10 am. Saw an interesting sequence when a Merlin made a pass at the nest cavity,, actually several passes to which the adult RHW responded with loud calls and some defensive attacks. Thereafter, the pair were on sentry duty, one in an adjacent cavity watching south and the other to the north in a tree along the river. The Merlin was in the area for about 5 minutes. They stayed on alert for about 20 minutes longer before resuming activity. More interesting was a discovery on what they are bringing into the nest cavity. (Have not yet seen chicks at the opening. Has anyone?) While sometimes, I can see that they are bringing insects such as dragonflies, at other times it appeared to be round objects. Did not seem possible to be acorns. Now, I’ve posted some images on my blog (http://birds-n-blooms.blogspot.com/) which show an adult bringing wild grapes to the cavity. There are ripe grapes on the vines in the area. On my first visit (July 24), I recorded an adult picking Woody Nightshade berries from vines at the base of dead trees to the north east of the nest tree. Had not expected woodpeckers to be eating fruit. Paul Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://ebird.org/content/ebird/! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://ebird.org/content/ebird/! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
Have not seen them bringing out fecal sacs, and have been looking for that. Any seen that? It is definitely possible this is food caching. Looked up the background in Kaufman’s Lives of North American Birds. It mentions caching of acorns, beechnuts, not berries. Says they are the most omnivorous of woodpeckers. But why would they cache insects? Seems a poor choice. Now, I am wondering about the timing of this pair at this location. When were they first seen excavating the cavity? Says a second brood is possible; incubation 12-13 days and fledging in 27-31 days. That predicts fledging in 39 to 44 days from onset. How does that match with dates when they were excavating? Does anyone have the key dates? Paul Schmitt From: Dave Nutter Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 7:32 PM To: Cayugabirds-L@cornell.edu Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point I'm not surprised at them eating fruit, which I've seen many woodpecker species do many times, but I am surprised they would feed fruit to nestlings. Is it possible they are caching the food? Has anyone seen the adults emerge with fecal sacs? Would this species carry off fecal sacs? Nice photos by the way, Paul, and thanks for taking the time to observe carefully. --Dave Nutter On Aug 20, 2013, at 07:06 PM, Anne Clark anneb.cl...@gmail.com wrote: Back in the 80's when I was living in SW Michigan (near Kellogg Biological Station, in Delton, MI), a pair of red-headed woodpeckers brought their fledglings every year to eat mulberries at a productive group of trees. More unusual that they would take them to protein-needy nestlings (albeit very late nestlings). But robins in the same Michigan property fed their nestlings on mulberries. Anne Clark On Aug 20, 2013, at 6:51 PM, Paul wrote: Spent about three hours watching the Red-headed Woodpeckers at May�s Point this morning. Very active until about 10 am. Saw an interesting sequence when a Merlin made a pass at the nest cavity,, actually several passes to which the adult RHW responded with loud calls and some defensive attacks. Thereafter, the pair were on sentry duty, one in an adjacent cavity watching south and the other to the north in a tree along the river. The Merlin was in the area for about 5 minutes. They stayed on alert for about 20 minutes longer before resuming activity. More interesting was a discovery on what they are bringing into the nest cavity. (Have not yet seen chicks at the opening. Has anyone?) While sometimes, I can see that they are bringing insects such as dragonflies, at other times it appeared to be round objects. Did not seem possible to be acorns. Now, I�ve posted some images on my blog (http://birds-n-blooms.blogspot.com/) which show an adult bringing wild grapes to the cavity. There are ripe grapes on the vines in the area. On my first visit (July 24), I recorded an adult picking Woody Nightshade berries from vines at the base of dead trees to the north east of the nest tree. Had not expected woodpeckers to be eating fruit. Paul Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
Hi, I was only able to observe them a couple of times. The first dates are on 7/08/ 2013 and the ones where I saw them going back and forth from the nesting cavity are on 8/12. On the July date, they were still excavating. Here is a link to one leaving the cavity with what I assume is a fecal sac. http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/Galleries/Birds/Passerines/12959449_8PScNT#!i=2713829101k=jc4LbbC Diana On Aug 20, 2013, at 8:12 PM, Paul wrote: Have not seen them bringing out fecal sacs, and have been looking for that. Any seen that? It is definitely possible this is food caching. Looked up the background in Kaufman’s Lives of North American Birds. It mentions caching of acorns, beechnuts, not berries. Says they are the most omnivorous of woodpeckers. But why would they cache insects? Seems a poor choice. Now, I am wondering about the timing of this pair at this location. When were they first seen excavating the cavity? Says a second brood is possible; incubation 12-13 days and fledging in 27-31 days. That predicts fledging in 39 to 44 days from onset. How does that match with dates when they were excavating? Does anyone have the key dates? Paul Schmitt From: Dave Nutter Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 7:32 PM To: Cayugabirds-L@cornell.edu Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point I'm not surprised at them eating fruit, which I've seen many woodpecker species do many times, but I am surprised they would feed fruit to nestlings. Is it possible they are caching the food? Has anyone seen the adults emerge with fecal sacs? Would this species carry off fecal sacs? Nice photos by the way, Paul, and thanks for taking the time to observe carefully. --Dave Nutter On Aug 20, 2013, at 07:06 PM, Anne Clark anneb.cl...@gmail.com wrote: Back in the 80's when I was living in SW Michigan (near Kellogg Biological Station, in Delton, MI), a pair of red-headed woodpeckers brought their fledglings every year to eat mulberries at a productive group of trees. More unusual that they would take them to protein-needy nestlings (albeit very late nestlings). But robins in the same Michigan property fed their nestlings on mulberries. Anne Clark On Aug 20, 2013, at 6:51 PM, Paul wrote: Spent about three hours watching the Red-headed Woodpeckers at May�s Point this morning. Very active until about 10 am. Saw an interesting sequence when a Merlin made a pass at the nest cavity,, actually several passes to which the adult RHW responded with loud calls and some defensive attacks. Thereafter, the pair were on sentry duty, one in an adjacent cavity watching south and the other to the north in a tree along the river. The Merlin was in the area for about 5 minutes. They stayed on alert for about 20 minutes longer before resuming activity. More interesting was a discovery on what they are bringing into the nest cavity. (Have not yet seen chicks at the opening. Has anyone?) While sometimes, I can see that they are bringing insects such as dragonflies, at other times it appeared to be round objects. Did not seem possible to be acorns. Now, I�ve posted some images on my blog (http://birds-n-blooms.blogspot.com/) which show an adult bringing wild grapes to the cavity. There are ripe grapes on the vines in the area. On my first visit (July 24), I recorded an adult picking Woody Nightshade berries from vines at the base of dead trees to the north east of the nest tree. Had not expected woodpeckers to be eating fruit. Paul Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- Diana Whiting http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/ -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's Point
Tom Riley and Bill Roberts first noted 2 adult Red-headed Woodpeckers flying around along South Mays Point Road on Wednesday 3 July. On 7 July I saw each adult tossing wood chips from separate apparently old holes in the same dead tree. I think they have since concentrated on just one of those holes. --Dave NutterOn Aug 20, 2013, at 08:12 PM, Paul pschm...@stny.rr.com wrote:Have not seen them bringing out fecal sacs, and have been looking for that. Any seen that? It is definitely possible this is food caching. Looked up the background in Kaufman’s Lives of North American Birds. It mentions caching of acorns, beechnuts, not berries. Says they are the most omnivorous of woodpeckers. But why would they cache insects? Seems a poor choice.Now, I am wondering about the timing of this pair at this location. When were they first seen excavating the cavity? Says a second brood is possible; incubation 12-13 days and fledging in 27-31 days. That predicts fledging in 39 to 44 days from onset. How does that match with dates when they were excavating? Does anyone have the key dates?Paul SchmittFrom: Dave NutterSent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 7:32 PMTo: Cayugabirds-L@cornell.eduSubject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Woodpeckers at May's PointI'm not surprised at them eating fruit, which I've seen many woodpecker species do many times, but I am surprised they would feed fruit to nestlings. Is it possible they are caching the food? Has anyone seen the adults emerge with fecal sacs? Would this species carry off fecal sacs? Nice photos by the way, Paul, and thanks for taking the time to observe carefully.--Dave NutterOn Aug 20, 2013, at 07:06 PM, Anne Clark anneb.cl...@gmail.com wrote:Back in the 80's when I was living in SW Michigan (near Kellogg Biological Station, in Delton, MI), a pair of red-headed woodpeckers brought their fledglings every year to eat mulberries at a productive group of trees.More unusual that they would take them to protein-needy nestlings (albeit very late nestlings). But robins in the same Michigan property fed their nestlings on mulberries.Anne ClarkOn Aug 20, 2013, at 6:51 PM, Paul wrote:Spent about three hours watching the Red-headed Woodpeckers at May�s Point this morning. Very active until about 10 am. Saw an interesting sequence when a Merlin made a pass at the nest cavity,, actually several passes to which the adult RHW responded with loud calls and some defensive attacks. Thereafter, the pair were on sentry duty, one in an adjacent cavity watching south and the other to the north in a tree along the river. The Merlin was in the area for about 5 minutes. They stayed on alert for about 20 minutes longer before resuming activity.More interesting was a discovery on what they are bringing into the nest cavity. (Have not yet seen chicks at the opening. Has anyone?) While sometimes, I can see that they are bringing insects such as dragonflies, at other times it appeared to be round objects. Did not seem possible to be acorns. Now, I�ve posted some images on my blog (http://birds-n-blooms.blogspot.com/) which show an adult bringing wild grapes to the cavity. There are ripe grapes on the vines in the area. On my first visit (July 24), I recorded an adult picking Woody Nightshade berries from vines at the base of dead trees to the north east of the nest tree. Had not expected woodpeckers to be eating fruit.Paul Schmitt--Cayugabirds-L List Info:Welcome and BasicsRules and InformationSubscribe, Configuration and LeaveArchives:The Mail ArchiveSurfbirdsBirdingOnThe.NetPlease submit your observations to eBird!Cayugabirds-L List Info:Welcome and BasicsRules and InformationSubscribe, Configuration and LeaveArchives:The Mail ArchiveSurfbirdsBirdingOnThe.NetPlease submit your observations to eBird!Cayugabirds-L List Info:Welcome and BasicsRules and InformationSubscribe, Configuration and LeaveArchives:The Mail ArchiveSurfbirdsBirdingOnThe.NetPlease submit your observations to eBird!-- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! --
