One of the many benefits of joining the Delaware Nature Society is free access to the trails of Ashland Nature Center. Our beautiful trails wind through a variety of habitats and are open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year. Non-members are also welcome though we ask that they leave a modest fee in boxes at the trailheads. This May, our friendly front desk team of Leah Awitan and Glynne Nagle went to check one of these boxes and a bird flew out! They could see a nest inside, so they quickly made a warning sign to avoid any further disturbance.
They alerted one of our volunteer nest box monitors, Amy O’Neil, who carefully peered inside and saw a Tufted Titmouse! Tufted Titmice are small gray birds with peach flanks that are easily attracted to bird feeders. They get their name because their head feathers are often raised into a crest. Titmice usually nest in abandoned woodpecker holes or natural cavities, though every few years we find one using a nest box.
The nest contained six eggs, which were pale with reddish spots. The following week Amy was pleased to see the eggs had all hatched into naked, helpless nestlings. Within just two weeks the nestlings were fully developed and ready to leave the nest. Amy was concerned the youngsters would struggle to make it out of the tall box and kept checking on them. She was relieved to find that five of the six fledged successfully.
Birds sometimes build their nests in unusual or even awkward places at Ashland. House Wrens have also nested in our fee boxes and once crammed their stick-filled nest into our dog waste bag dispenser! However, these are situations we are happy to deal with. Many birds are experiencing widespread declines so the more we can do to help them the better. Moreover, it is against the law to disturb the eggs or nestlings of any native bird.
Bird conservation can be a long and complicated legislative process involving many stages and people. Luckily, all it took for these five young Tufted Titmice was people who cared and a simple sign!