Nickname
MFR
Coordinates
(45.2961, -122.685)
Substrate
old pilings
Followers
None
What to look for
Review All Observations
2015 - kay98352015 - kay98352013 - kay98352012 - kay9835
aAdult Arrival4/2/144/3/134/9/12
aOccupiedNoYesYesNo
aActive
bEgg Laying4/26/13
bIncubation Initiation4/25/145/1/135/2/12
cClutch Hatching6/6/146/15/136/11/12
dNestlings323
eFledglings323
eFirst Chick Fledging7/25/148/1/137/30/12
fChicks Last Observed9/12/149/4/139/7/12
xNest Failure
xReason For Nest Failureunknown reason

Select Seasons

Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2015 2013 2012

Activity reports

2012 Nest Activity Report by kay9835
Adult arrival04/09/2012Nestlings3
Nest OccupiedNoFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging07/30/2012
Egg layingChicks last observed09/07/2012
Incubation initiation05/02/2012Nest failure
Clutch hatching06/11/2012Reason for nest failure
2013 Nest Activity Report by kay9835
Adult arrival04/03/2013Nestlings2
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings2
Nest Active First chick fledging08/01/2013
Egg laying04/26/2013Chicks last observed09/04/2013
Incubation initiation05/01/2013Nest failure
Clutch hatching06/15/2013Reason for nest failure
2015 Nest Activity Report by kay9835
Adult arrival04/02/2014Nestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging07/25/2014
Egg layingChicks last observed09/12/2014
Incubation initiation04/25/2014Nest failure
Clutch hatching06/06/2014Reason for nest failure
2015 Nest Activity Report by kay9835
Adult arrivalNestlings
Nest OccupiedNoFledglings
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg layingChicks last observed
Incubation initiationNest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failureunknown reason

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

10/18/2012 by kay9835
Copulation was observed on 4/24/12. The male is very slightly larger than the female, and very slightly larger. I have a very difficult time telling which is which, even when they're side by side. 0n 5/2, copulation was again observed; this was also the first date I observed incubation. The nest is just above eye-level from the highest observation point I can find, so I was unable to see actual eggs. On 6/6 I suspected that hatching was taking place, but I could not confirm hatching until I saw an adult feeding an unseen chick on 6/11. Incubation (or brooding?) continued until 6/15, at which time I left town and did not return until 7/30. I saw no incubation/brooding behavior after 6/15. I was able to confirm the presence of 3 chicks on 7/4. The first chick fledged on or about 7/30; all three were definitely fledged within a week. After mid-August I was never able to confirm the presence of more than 2 fledglings. I occasionally heard a high-flying calling bird that I thought might have been an adult, but this never happened when I could see more than one fledgling, so I can't be sure. Like last year, 3 young were fledged, but one of those fledglings disappeared relatively soon, and I do not know the fate of those birds for either year. Both years, the 2 other fledglings stayed in the vicinity of the nest and were clearly feeding themselves successfully by fall.

04/10/2012 by kay9835
A pair has nested in the area for multiple years, using the top of a very tall tree just north of the present site. Last year they spent some time working on the old nest but also trying out a new location, before evenually deciding on the new spot. They built the new nest on the top of a pair of old pilings, just 10-15' above "normal" river level. This nest is easily viewed from a well-used walking path, and many people enjoyed watching the progress of the pair. They successfully fledged 3 young. The nest had to be maintained constantly, and it began to disintegrate as soon as the young fledged. The young stayed in the area after fledging and after the adults stopped feeding them, using the nest as a feeding platform, but the nest was completely gone almost before the last fledgling left in the fall. They've just returned this year, and today one bird was sitting on the old, tree-top nest while the second was laying the first sticks on top of the pilings.