Tag Archives: tufted titimice
An encounter with a Tufted Titmouse Fledgling at Jordan lake
Went out to Jordan Lake a couple of weeks ago with my son to see what I could find and was delighted to find a Tufted Titmouse nest filled with fledglings!
These little guys were very curious about us and were absolutely adorable as they peeked out of their tree.
We even got to see one of them fly out for the very first time! How sweet is that?!
Titmice build bowl-shaped nests inside holes of trees bored out by Woodpeckers. They first fill the cavity with damp leaves, moss, grasses, and bark strips. Then, they line this cup with soft materials such as hair, fur, wool, and cotton. They’ve even been known to pluck hairs directly from living mammals such as raccoons, cows, horses and others.
Incubation takes around 13 days with fledging taking place about 16 days after hatching.
It’s hard to believe that that the little ones we found are under 3 weeks old, yet they already are taking off to explore the world.
Such a lovely thing to see on a fine spring morning 🙂
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds
N.C. Video Birding : Tufted Titmice at Jordan Lake
By: Sally Siko – Admin Birdwatching NC
A few days ago, I took a quick trip to Jordan Lake with my son to see what I could find. We spotted a few Bald Eagles and a Hooded Warbler but were most pleased to find a whole bunch of fledgling Tufted Titmice flying for the first time.
What a joy it was to watch these tiny birds exploring the world.
Learning to fly: Tufted Titmouse fledglings at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
By: Sally Siko – Admin Birdwatching NC
Check out this sweet short video of a brood of Tufted Titmice venturing out into the world for the first time!
It was really great to be able to witness these once in a bird lifetime moments. So awesome!
At home bird watching in North Carolina
By: Sally Siko, Admin-Birdwatching NC
At home working (kind of) and getting distracted by the birds in my yard, lol!
Though Tufted Titmice are a “common” sight here in central NC, it’s nice to stop and appreciate them every once and a while.
Especially if it means I can sit outside sipping coffee on my porch and avoid sitting at my desk right now, haha!
Enjoying
the antics of the birds right here at home in central NC is a welcome
diversion to all that’s going on out there in the world today.
This
little Tufted Titmouse has been raiding my feeders hourly and seems to
really appreciate the buffet that I’ve set out for him and his feathered
cohorts.
A little gray bird with an echoing voice, the Tufted Titmouse is common in North Carolina’s deciduous forests and a frequent visitor to our feeders. Their large black eyes, small, round bill, and brushy crest gives these birds a quiet but eager expression that matches the way they flit through canopies, hang from twig-ends, and drop in to bird feeders.
When a Titmouse finds a large seed, you’ll see it carry the prize to a perch and crack it with sharp whacks of its stout bill.
What they lack in size, Titmice make up for in tenacity as they will defend favorite feeding spots with vigor.
Quite a sight to see 🙂
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds
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The bounty of Fall webworms for songbirds in North Carolina
Autumn has arrived here in N.C.
With the shedding of leaves revealing a thinning of the mid/upper canopy, you may have noticed an uptick in large web masses appearing in the trees.
These mass webbings at the end of tree branches are the work of Fall webworms.
Tons of tiny, hairy caterpillars inhabit these webs have been somewhat camouflaged for a few months until the days arrive when the leaves fall away.
The Fall webworm feeds and builds their silken masses on nearly 90 species of deciduous trees like, hickory (like this one), walnut, birch, pecan, cherry, and crabapple.
Not the kind of species one wants appearing in their yard or local patch.
These masses may be removed by simplypulling down webs that are within reach with a stick or pole. Once on the ground, exposing the torn webbing provides a caterpillar feast for birds and other animals looking for an easy autumn meal.
This particular Fall webworm mass hangs at on the outer limb of a Hickory tree in my yard. At a height of almost 30 feet, it’s just out of range for my limb removing pole.
Thus, it remains.
Happily, the local birds have discovered its presence and have been snacking on it’s tenants for about 2 weeks.
The Titmice and Carolina Wrens have torn a hole in it so now they’re able to pick through the webbing from the inside.
I photographed this Tufted-Titmouse peeking out from inside the web yesterday morning while I sipped coffee.
It’s not the prettiest #birdphoto but I think it’s interesting to learn about how the changing of the season impacts the habitat, life cycle and behaviors of the various species of life found in my yard.
Plus, that sweet little Titmouse face peering out from the web is kinda cute.
🙂 Photo by @sally_siko
Canon 5Ds
Tufted Titmouse in Fuquay varina, N.C.
I spotted this Tufted Titmouse hanging out on a sunny branch yesterday afternoon in Fuquay Varina. Of course, there is a Chickadee close by as these sweet little birds rarely seem to go anywhere without their masked relatives.
A familiar sight at backyard feeders here
in North Carolina, Tufted Titmice feed on insects and seeds. They
search for food on trees and can be seen on trunks and limbs looking for
insects in the crevices of the bark. They also forage on the ground.
Throughout
the year, their preferred foraging locations can change. In summer
months they can be found foraging in the high canopy’s of tall trees,
while in winter they can be spotted on trunks and in bushes more often.
During
the wintertime, Tufted Titmice often travel in mixed flocks with
Chickadees, Sparrows, Nuthatches, and Juncos. This behavior gives them
the advantages of safety in numbers and the added bonus of having
another species locate the food for them.
That being said, even
during the summer, I can’t remember the last time I saw a Titmouse that
wasn’t traveling with at least a couple of Chickadees in its entourage.
Photo by @sally_siko
Canon 5Ds