Ya just gotta love Black-capped Chickadees! It was pretty neat watching the pair take turns during this intensely important excavation process. After exiting the cavity, the other bird would enter immediately, just as the above video shows. Demonstrating systematic teamwork, each chickadee released its bits of wood from its bill into the stream from a perch above the water, then patiently wait for the other to exit the cavity.
Unfortunately, this is a rootless log section someone propped against the rock wall. The chickadees claimed it over two weeks ago. However, a few days ago, I caught 3 kids attempting to pick up and toss the log into the stream. Thankfully, I was able to stop them in time. I also emailed Middleton Public Lands because they're planning various bank stabilization projects along the stream corridor. I tagged the log and used a black magic marker to write a note on it not to disturb the chickadees. Now I wonder why I felt obligated to do this at a nature conservancy. Perhaps I shouldn't have done anything and just left the chickadees to their chances.
I also digiscoped this Northern Flicker this morning.
© 2009 Mike McDowell