Nesting Time

Western Scrub Jay

Mud for the Nest

Nest Location

Survey

Visitor's Center

Shelly and I visited Red Butte Gardens and enjoyed very spring-like conditions. Crocus and dafodils are in bloom, honey bees and butterflies are out buzzing and fluttering about. The feeders are no longer up in the Children's Garden area, so it took a bit more effort to find the birds. No new arrivals yet, but there was a lot of breeding season behavior including nest building, calling, and vigorous pursuits. Found a couple of nesting sites that i'll monitor in the coming weeks, including a Western Scrubjay and a Black-billed Magpie who is constructing a nest in the same conifer which was used last year. The tree happens to be about 20 feet from the main vistior entrance to the garden.

The nest building process takes three weeks for the magpie.

http://www4.nau.edu/acl/To%20Be%20Posted/Western%20Scrub-Jay%20test.htm