Are you watching nests? Take photos and win prizes! For the month of July, enter your photos of nests here for chances to win. Entering is easy, just upload photos of the nesting cycle (limit four photo entries) to any or all of these categories, including Beautiful Eggs, Best Nest, Cutest Baby, and Feeding Time! And while you’re taking photos, become an official NestWatcher and record what you’re seeing in our scientific database! Contest starts July 1!
There will be prizes awarded to the entries with the highest vote in each category. A Judges’ Choice and a People’s Choice overall winner will each be chosen from the category winners. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the contest period (August 1st).
Mike Anderson
Bonaventure Island, Percé, QC, Canada
In June 2008 I was in a wood-framed blind photographing Northern Gannets as hundreds of them flew to and from their nests on the ground. On several occasions I spotted one bird that flew up over my end of the blind but did not show up on the other side. I went out to investigate, climbed a tree next to the blind, and found this pair building a nest on the blind’s slate roof. Although my position was very awkward for holding my camera, I got several nice shots, including this one of the pair working together to build their nest.
Mike Smeets
Orlando, FL, United States
Tri-colored heron juvenile staring down the camera looking like he has had too much coffee
Patrick and Arrow Myers
Mosca, Alamosa County, CO, United States
My 11 year old son, Arrow, aspires to be an ornithologist; I’m a park ranger at nearby Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (Southern Colorado). We love birding together. This summer we’ve had the privilege of watching a family of avocets successfully nest in a wetland on our property. From the time the light green speckled eggs were laid on the open shore, the parents have loudly and aggressively defended their young. We quietly keep our distance behind some shrubs to capture scenes of their family life, including this image of the four young learning to feed as they follow their mother. The father was just outside this image, chasing away a killdeer from his family.
Steve Stell
Doswell, VA, United States
The nest site was on the ground within a hollow at the base of a large (living) red oak tree. This oak was located in deep mature woods at the edge of a sharp drop/cliff along a small river. The ‘nest’ contained no nesting material. This photo,taken on April 15, 2015, shows the first of two eggs (approximately 3.5-4 inches long; note the size of oak leaves in the photo). I carefully revisited the nest on June 29, 2015 and there were two chicken-sized black vulture chicks with dirty white down feathers. I could smell the stench of the nest site about 75 feet away from the nest. The adults were not present during either visit.
Susan Etherton
Tucson, AZ, United States
While visiting the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum and their amazing Hummingbird House, I had a great time watch the various hummers buzz around. But it’s always fascinating to see these active birds when they stop. So glad for the Museum; so grateful for this shot.
Russel Smith
Ridgefield, WA, United States
Joe DeMarte
Lido Beach, NY, United States
While visiting Nickerson Beach along the south west coast of Long Island, I was amazed at the number and types of breeding shorebirds …. common terns, oystercatachers, skimmer terns, piping plovers … all of which were there in great numbers tending to their nests and young in the dune and sandy areas. This photo is one of thousands I took of common terns on their eggs and with their chicks … where this chick seems actions speak louder than words about how much it loves it’s mommy.
Kim Caruso
Newbury, MA, United States
Tree swallows begging for a meal
Allan Casey
Evergreen, CO, United States
Nest is about 10 feet above ground in a 35′ Blue Spruce in Evergreen CO at 7500′ in elevation. Babies were about 7-10 days old at this point in time. Canon 6D at 400mm.
Janet Lewis
Milford, Milford charter Township, MI, United States
Taken at Kensington Metropark in May 2015. This sandhill crane chick looks like he is checking out his reflection, just like the ugly duckling. In fact, his mother had just dropped a seed kernel in the water for him. How can you not love this sandy colored ball of fuzz with those amazingly flexible legs!
Heather Larson
Cave Creek, AZ, United States
Amazing that they are so capable within days of hatching.
Iman Ahmad Ahmad
Houston, TX, United States
Mourning Doves nesting in my backyard
Lou Ann Harris
Bozeman, MT, United States
A clutch of 8 Mountain Bluebird eggs in one of 49 nest boxes along Rocky Mtn. Road in SW Montana.
judith mcdonald
Pasadena, CA, United States
This beauty tended her nest faithfully. Two weeks after I found her, and she posed, an unknown marauder toppled her nest. There was nothing left.
Jeff Timmons
Lapel, IN, United States
Baby Great Horned Owl watching as mom catches a few rays on this sunny day.
Valrie Wollen
Colorado Springs, CO, United States
After swimming in the pond and grubbing in the grass, the goose parents took their brood to the edge of the pond for a snooze. The cute little goslings were all piled together into one big ball of fluff, while out of camera range their ever vigilant parents kept watch for intruders.
Grace Donald
Orillia, ON, Canada
Grace Donald
Orillia, ON, Canada
Baby loon on mum’s back
Loi Nguyen
Calipatria, CA, United States
I have heard about the artificial burrow that US Fish and Wildlife and Cornell Labs are installing at Salton Sea to help protect the Burrowing Owls, but this was the first time I saw one that was being used. I had arrived at the burrow before sunrise under the cover of darkness and lied flat on the ground with my long telephoto lens. This nest location is very close to the road and the parents are fairly tolerant, but I wanted to impose minimum stress on them. I did not know that they had chicks, so when this chick emerged from the burrow right after sunrise, both the chick and I were surprised to see one another eye to eye.
eric pittman
Victoria, BC, Canada
A Rufous Hummingbird renovated and re-used last years nest in a fir tree. It was right off the gable end of a house so I was able to sit on the peak of the roof and get this shot. I sent up a webcam and lots of people watched as the chick, “Rusty”, developed and eventually fledged. Rusty was the sole hatchling from a pair of eggs which were laid and he thrived.
LAURA FRAZIER
Eidolon Nature Preserve, Orleans Road, Great Cacapon, WV, United States
An American Redstart working on her silky nest
Alan Peterson
Eureka, CA, United States
A Wood Duck duckling runs across the surface of Sequoia Park’s duck pond in order to catch up with its mother and siblings.