Sighting details
Location
near Edmonton, Alberta

Geobirds Local >>

rarityBlack-capped Chickadee (1)
Seen by Rangifer
Larger >>
When September 27, 2008 at 19:50
Details COMMON
Notes I found this nest this morning under a blue spruce tree that chickadees frequented all summer...a chickadee nest, perhaps? It is made mostly of dried grasses, some small twigs, lint, and some mystery bits. It is ~10 cm in diameter and contains small whitish shell fragments. I think the wind blew it out last night.
Weather Sunny, +11.

Comments 

user Rangifer, Sep 27 2008
Is anyone a nest expert? I found this on the ground this morning...
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user jim macgregor, Sep 28 2008
-lets eliminate a Robin; it doesn't look like there is a mud base in this work of art?
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user jim macgregor, Sep 28 2008
-a robin's nest would also be closer to 17 cm in outside diameter; chickadee nests tend to be made of finer material including hair, wood chips and moss; they also are usually in holes or stumps. Are there other colors, spots, blotches on the egg fragments? I'm kind of leaning toward a Chipping Sparrow.
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user Rangifer, Sep 28 2008
The egg fragments are dull white, no splotches. No mud in the construction either. I didn't see any hair or animal fur.
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user jim macgregor, Sep 28 2008
-the dull white egg fragments probably rule out the Chipping Sparrow; now I'm leaning a little towards a House Finch; I was Googling on "flicker" and found this structure; the lint and small bits sound a little House "finchy".
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user jim macgregor, Sep 28 2008
-forgot to attach the "flicker" link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyquinninlex/2422003439
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user jim macgregor, Sep 28 2008
-make that "flickr".
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