This week in the woods, we didn’t have to venture far for a great nature photography opportunity. We found an American redstart nest in a stand of yard lilacs and set up a remote (no flash or sound) camera with a zoom lens to catch the action. Here’s an image of the father bird with one of the three chicks.
As you can see in this image, redstarts are cup nesters. The female chooses a site between forked, vertical stems and weaves together strips of bark, grass, wasp paper, and other materials. She often uses spider silk to help make the whole thing stick together. This nest, located near a white pine stand, includes a lot of pine needles as well as leaves.
Fun fact: both the male and female bird spend a lot of time hopping about the lilacs and nearby grapevines, rapidly spreading their tails and lowering their wings in quick, jerky movements. This “flashing,” so-called because it displays the birds’ bright wing and tail feathers, may help the birds hunt by startling insects, thereby flushing them out of their hiding places.
What have you noticed in the woods this week? Submit a recent photo for possible inclusion in our monthly online Reader Photo Gallery.