Participant Photos
upload and share photos
Photo Submission
Submitted By
Kevin Hood
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Description
A Pacific-slope Flycatcher nest was discovered sitting on the light fixture in our front porch. The brooding female seemed oblivious to people and dog traffic through the front door, dog barking, doorbells ringing and sewer replacement noise behind our back yard. Three eggs were laid, three hatched and three grew almost to fledging with the continual feeding from both male and female birds. Unfortunately, the nestlings left the nest before being close to fledging, we think because of a large mite infestation that developed in the final few days of the nesting attempt.
Category
Species
Tags
Front Porch Pacific-slope Flycatcher Nest
I have had the Pacific Slope flycatcher nest 2 times now on a meter box attached to the house and twice now there has been a predator to the nest and sadly they have not made it. I am now considering placing something on the box, so they do not nest there. The area is a bit exposed. Is this common for many birds or just this type? I feel so badly that they don’t survive.
Two Scrub Jays raided a Pacific Slope Flycatcher nest today, twice. Witnessed it and it was ghastly. This is the second year PSFs have nested at my house. Last year, they had a secure spot and successfully nested there twice over spring and summer.
I did not notice this year’s nest until a few days ago. It was in a terrible spot. Exposed, insecure, and near the front door and street. Hard to say if they had nested there earlier this spring, or if it was the first time. Very sad. Will they nest again this spring/summer? What do birds do after this kind of trauma?
Hello MG, As sad as it may be to watch, this is unfortunately quite common in the wild. If birds are scared away from their nest, they often hold on to that memory and likely won’t re-nest in the same spot for at least a few years, because the predators will also remember that it was a good location to find food. If adults survive predator attacks on their nest, then most simply move on to restart nesting elsewhere.
Thank you, Holly!
Hopefully, they will nest again this spring/summer in a safe place.
I was fortunate to witness a pair of flycatchers build a nest at my front door. Four eggs were successful hatched and all fledglings flew away. It was amazing to watch. I miss them now and feel like an empty nester!