This photo is from an earlier banding session – in June at Allegany State Park. We didn’t have a Blue-headed Vireo in the nets last Thursday at one of the US Forest Service sites. However, we sure got scolded by one, probably because we were too close to its nest.
Don and Linda searched and found a couple of older nests… Then, with persistence, Don finally found one that looked fresh, and possibly active.
Blue-headed Vireos dangle their nests from a fork in the branch of a tree, often low enough that they are relatively easy to spot. Sometimes they will even build their nests in saplings.
We were curious if this nest had eggs or babies:
I happened to have a small mirror in my purse which Linda attached to a stick so we could peek inside without disturbing the nest:
I wish I could show you what they saw… My camera isn’t that good! There were no eggs or babies, but the interior was in nice shape. Perhaps mom is about to lay eggs? Maybe we’ll learn more the next time this group bands here.
Learn more about Blue-headed Vireos:
Filed under: bird banding, bird conservation, bird research, birds, nature | Tagged: Blue-headed Vireo
