2005 Comments -PROW, TX 2
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Chicks Banded!
06/30/05 11:53
Our banding experts at the Heard banded the 4 PROW chicks, as well as those from another nest, at about 10am today. The chicks are doing fine.
Loney
Loney
Clarification on the Heard Nest Cam Setup
06/28/05 20:55
I want to add a couple of details about our cam setup.
First of all, without fail, we use "stove pipe" predator guards on all of our nest boxes. This guard is constructed out of a 4 inch diameter, 4 ft long galvanized sheet metal air conditioning pipe that surrounds the 1 inch steel pipe on which the Peterson box is mounted. Incidentally, that 1 inch pipe fits into an auger that has been screwed into the ground. We have found this guard to be very effective against all snakes raccoons, etc.
Also, we also use a sticky substance called "tangle foot" on the 1 inch pipe to stop fire ants that are a real problem at our location.
A bit of clarification about the nest transfer that I mentioned in my previous statments about our nest cam. WE do the transfer with 2 people. The Peterson box with the nest is lifted out of its auger in the ground and held upright a couple of feet away. The camera box is then put in this same auger and oriented so that its entance hole is pointed the same direction as it did with the replaced box.
With the camera box in the exact location and orientation of the nest box it replaces, a Heard volunteer with considerable experience quickly but carefully transfers the nest. For instance, with the present nesting, Jennifer Maxwell, a senior bird bander who bands under the supervision of a licensed bander, made the transfer. We certainly don't recommend such a nest transfer outside of an organization that has the experience and credentials to do it.
Our experience with this procedure is that the parent birds accept the camera box within minutes after we finish the transfer and leave the area.
Loney
First of all, without fail, we use "stove pipe" predator guards on all of our nest boxes. This guard is constructed out of a 4 inch diameter, 4 ft long galvanized sheet metal air conditioning pipe that surrounds the 1 inch steel pipe on which the Peterson box is mounted. Incidentally, that 1 inch pipe fits into an auger that has been screwed into the ground. We have found this guard to be very effective against all snakes raccoons, etc.
Also, we also use a sticky substance called "tangle foot" on the 1 inch pipe to stop fire ants that are a real problem at our location.
A bit of clarification about the nest transfer that I mentioned in my previous statments about our nest cam. WE do the transfer with 2 people. The Peterson box with the nest is lifted out of its auger in the ground and held upright a couple of feet away. The camera box is then put in this same auger and oriented so that its entance hole is pointed the same direction as it did with the replaced box.
With the camera box in the exact location and orientation of the nest box it replaces, a Heard volunteer with considerable experience quickly but carefully transfers the nest. For instance, with the present nesting, Jennifer Maxwell, a senior bird bander who bands under the supervision of a licensed bander, made the transfer. We certainly don't recommend such a nest transfer outside of an organization that has the experience and credentials to do it.
Our experience with this procedure is that the parent birds accept the camera box within minutes after we finish the transfer and leave the area.
Loney
Heard Museum Nest Cam Setup
06/24/05 19:18
Some of you may be interested in our Heard nest cam setup, as it is somewhat unusual.
First of all, our camera nestbox was designed and built by Dave Ahlgren of Minnesota. It is a Peterson box with a small vertical extention/roof for a small Sony camera, with access for focusing. There is a skylight in the roof.
The Prothonotaries nest a considerable distance from our Science Building, in a wetlands area covered with trees. For the present nesting, we have to run 1000 feet of video and power cable from the camera nestbox to an open area where we have a radio transmitter powered by a solar panel and a storage battery. Fom this spot we transmitt the video signal by radio some 3000 feet to our Science Building where we can send pictures by internet to Cornell.
We have found it to be a successful strategy to allow the pro-warblers to first nest and lay a couple of eggs in regular Peterson boxes. We then bring the camera nestbox to the exact location of the nest, and transfer the nest to it. So far, with at least 2 eggs, we haven't had a rejection of the transfer by the birds.
By this means we are able to monitor more nestings than if we waited for the warblers to choose our camera nestbox in a fixed location. We have several Peterson boxes within range of the video cable. Some nests are presently being built, and we hope to observe one more nesting this season.
Loney
First of all, our camera nestbox was designed and built by Dave Ahlgren of Minnesota. It is a Peterson box with a small vertical extention/roof for a small Sony camera, with access for focusing. There is a skylight in the roof.
The Prothonotaries nest a considerable distance from our Science Building, in a wetlands area covered with trees. For the present nesting, we have to run 1000 feet of video and power cable from the camera nestbox to an open area where we have a radio transmitter powered by a solar panel and a storage battery. Fom this spot we transmitt the video signal by radio some 3000 feet to our Science Building where we can send pictures by internet to Cornell.
We have found it to be a successful strategy to allow the pro-warblers to first nest and lay a couple of eggs in regular Peterson boxes. We then bring the camera nestbox to the exact location of the nest, and transfer the nest to it. So far, with at least 2 eggs, we haven't had a rejection of the transfer by the birds.
By this means we are able to monitor more nestings than if we waited for the warblers to choose our camera nestbox in a fixed location. We have several Peterson boxes within range of the video cable. Some nests are presently being built, and we hope to observe one more nesting this season.
Loney
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Five hatched?
06/23/05 11:27
I don't see the fifth egg which was back in the cup prior to hatching. It's difficult to say but are there perhaps five chicks?
Although the fifth egg was out for a short time, to me it seemed that it was in a "bright, sunlit" part of the nest and I am hoping it was viable.
an avid nest box cam watcher
Although the fifth egg was out for a short time, to me it seemed that it was in a "bright, sunlit" part of the nest and I am hoping it was viable.
an avid nest box cam watcher
Fifth Egg?
06/23/05 10:27
What happened to the fifth egg? Was it removed by humans or by prowarbler?
Replies to this comment
It's Begun
06/22/05 16:23
At 15:18:06 on 6.22.05, we have chick number one in the nest cup.
DAH
DAH
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5th egg back in the cup! and a question
06/21/05 09:41
Happy to see that the lone egg out has been put back in. Noticed it this am about 8:15.
Does the same pair repeat at a particular nest or could it be a different pair?
Does the same pair repeat at a particular nest or could it be a different pair?
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Expected hatch date around 6/25
06/20/05 17:46
This box had 3 eggs when checked on June 9. That means the expected hatch date is around June 25.
Jennifer Maxwell
Heard Volunteer
Jennifer Maxwell
Heard Volunteer
More Activity
06/20/05 15:36
I just checked the site and it looks like there is some activity there! Five eggs?
Warbler
06/20/05 15:15
I see that one egg is out of the nest cup. Is that egg probably infertile?
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Warbler
06/20/05 13:15
I was surprised to see a female prothonotary with 5 eggs under her. Why wans't anything said about this second nest attempt?
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2nd nesting
06/17/05 18:23
Will there be a 2nd nesting this year ?
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Loney