From Chris Elliot, regarding courting Winter Wrens and hopefully nest site.
Hi Peter,
I had two Winter Wrens today who appeared to be courting around fallen trees, just below the main east-west path between Elephant Hill and Center Drive. I notice that the Prospect checklist does not list them as breeding in the park,and the 1985 and 2005 Breeding Bird Atlases don’t show any breeding in New York City or on Long Island.
However, checking out Birds of North America, it looks
to me as though two Winter Wrens together at this time of year may be likely to be a breeding pair. I had recently heard one singing in that area, and have seen others had reporting singing. Folks might want to watch for breeding/nesting activity in that area in the next few weeks. Nesting sites are highly variable for this species ("Highly variable, from using an existing hole (e.g., old woodpecker cavity) to creating a hole (e.g., in bank) to adding to a surface (e.g., on rootwad) to creating an entirely free-hanging structure e.g., on tree limbs”) but include overturned trees.
Otherwise of note today: a Great Egret on Lullwater, Cooper’s Hawk fly-over above Midwood, and continuing strong numbers of Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
Chris
