The Spring Housing Search

Birds of all types are beginning to made critical decisions regarding where they will raise their 2023 broods.

I came upon a pair of Carolina Chickadees that had discovered a hole in an old fence post – where a gate hinge had come out and left a cavity. To me, it appeared that they may have been practicing approaching the hole from various locations like the lower gate hinge which still remains intact, the top of the post and the rusty fence panel that’s still attached to it.

The cute little Chickadees flitted away, then came back to explore and enter the hole several times.

But, when one of the Chickadees landed on a Bluebird box that is just is about 15 feet away from the old post, a male Bluebird flew down from a nearby tree (outrageously FAST) to chase off the chickadee from the top of his house. The Bluebird took a position on a bit of fencing that is attached to a second post quite near the post with the hole. I suppose he was at the ready to chase off the Chickadees that he saw as a threat.

A few minutes later, Mr. Bluebird flew back to the tree where he had been keeping vigil on his house and his mate and the eggs she was incubating inside. The chickadees also returned to the post to continue their activity. I have read that cavity nesting birds of different species can tolerate a fairly small distance between their nesting areas. Tree Swallows and Bluebirds will nest in boxes that are 20 feet apart. I read one account that Tree Swallows and Bluebirds used different houses that were attached to the same pole. For me it would be wonderful if the Chickadees and the Bluebirds can tolerate each other in this situation because it would let me get photos of both at the same time.