Nest Searching in Spring

   It has been a few months since our last blog entry. Since early 2015 we have been preparing for the field season by writing grant proposals, hiring field assistants, ordering the new transmitters, and planning for the fieldwork ahead.
   We are expanding the study this spring to include nest sites up in the Delaware State Forest of Pocono region (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/delaware/) to compare with the Hawk Mountain/Appalachian area nests and southeastern Piedmont area nest sites. To help us determine where pairs of Broadwings were in the large, contiguous forest near the Delaware Water Gap, we mapped locations of birds found in the Breeding Bird Atlas and more recently reported in eBird and then picked out sites where we thought we would see the birds upon their return from spring migration. In mid-April along with the three field assistants, eight volunteers, and Laurie and I we started visiting possible territories and mapping locations where birds were seen. By late April we had several possible nest structures identified.
   It is now May 13th and we have a total of 8 confirmed nest sites; 4 in the Delaware State Forest, 3 in the southeast, 1 at Hawk Mountain. The last week and a half have been a little frustrating as we watch possible nests and search areas where we know the birds are located but are finding birds being very quiet and elusive. We will continue to search over next few weeks in hopes of finding another 4 to 6 nests to include in the study.

Viewing spot, with the nest in the distance

Confirmed nest in the Pocono Region

Female on the nest near Hawk Mountain

A second confirmed nest in the Delaware State Forest

Female incubating in French Creek State Park

                                                                                                                                                      







One reason we suspect things are more challenging this year is that some birds appear to have returned later than usual. Abbo, our one satellite-tagged adult, did not return to her nesting territory until May 6th.  She was moving northward on schedule but in April was stalled in northern Mexico and southern Texas during a unrelenting week of torrential rain and storms.  After that subsided weather continued to be unsettled and she moved slowly from Texas to Alabama and Mississippi. Once she hit the Appalachians in Georgia, her pace accelerated, arriving in Pennsylvania on May 4th.

Abbo's movements during Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 migration

Abbo's movements since she returned to New Ringgold (yellow = more accurate locations)

  Since her arrival we have had sightings of three Broadwings flying together and sightings of lone birds but not definitive sightings of Abbo. We know she is in the forest near her former nest site still and moving around quite a bit.  We are hopeful she will settle down and nest soon.

  Check back next week to learn more about our fantastic field assistants!