Kingbirds in a Pitch Pine

The Kingbirds are definitely focused on a branch of a tall old Pitch Pine. The tree is on a low bluff overlooking the creek just past the mouth of the pond and the branch in question is high and extends out over the water. It is the perfect, classic, quintessential E. Kingbird nest site. Because the two birds are moving freely in and out, I can say that they are either building a nest or feeding young in an existing nest. The site is a stout limb covered with needles thick enough to disguise any construction that might be there. But I'm pretty sure that the nest is under construction because (1) I didn't notice any activity here before the last few days and also (2) because of the way the birds work together -- one perched high and on guard, the other flying into the tree to work on the nest. They call to each other and indulge in some fancy fluttery flights that suggest courtship more than the simple job of making short feeding sallies from one place to another. I don't believe it is necessarily too late for a flycatcher nesting and I'm quite sure I have seen Kingbirds feeding young in Julys past; midsummer has to be the maximum time for a large aerial insectivorous bird to feed a family.

The big flycatchers have it these days: Eastern Wood-pewee and Great Crested Flycatcher have both been active in the woods.

Curiously enough, the Flickers are active in the same front row of trees as the Kingbirds but I hear them over a much wider area extending from Weesuck Avenue all the way across the woods and marsh edge almost to Bay Avenue. These are almost certainly birds that have already nested successfully and may constitute a large family with the young birds learning how to fend for themselves. I've been estimating four birds but there are probably more; Northern Flickers can have as many as nine eggs in a clutch. I think they like the areas that were thinned out by Hurricane Irene probably because there are good infestations of ants and bugs that these birds like to eat (Flickers are basically ground woodpeckers when it comes to feeding although these birds are also working some of the decaying downed wood). They appear to be staying in touch with one another with their loud songs and calls.

Eric Salzman