Black Capped Chickadee Nest Cavity Making

 Black Capped Chickadees are cavity nesters, and they were making their nests yesterday at Springbrook Nature Center.



I found this one yesterday actively working on this cavity.  I don't know if the hole was started by the Chickadee, or if the Chickadee was just remodeling a pre-existing cavity, but he was very busy.

The mate was close by calling and watching.

 I think Chickadees must have some woodpecker DNA, as they seem very capable of excavating cavities in dead wood. 

One big difference is that Chickadees are very tidy, and don't want any wood chips near the nest, so they carry all the wood peices away some distance.  This one would be inside for two or three minutes, then cary several loads of chips away, and then back to work. This must be a way of reducing predator curiosity of why the wood chips are present.

Woodpeckers generally just throw the woodchips over their shoulders as they work away at their nest cavities. 

Hopefully, in a few weeks  I can photograph this pair of Chickadees feeding their babies.