The following still photos are taken from a single frame of video from the vhs tapes. This process results in a substantial loss of quality compared to the original camera image and vhs tape.
Very little of this first video nesting was captured on tape. A second bluebird nest in a box in the side yard still has eggs and I am considering running continuous tape of this nest. However, we are often away for two or three days at a time and there aren't enough vcr's to go around, so maybe later when the front yard pair have their second brood, I'll record the entire nestling phase. So many species and so little time!
7/1/2001 update: The second nesting in the front yard box (the same lathe turned wooden box as above) has begun, with two eggs being laid. I have begun taping this second nesting mainly because renegade wrens have been spreading out from their wild east side of the yard. They have never bothered a bluebird box (placed in open areas with full sun)for almost 10 years, but are winged devils in their wilder pine grove and other densely planted areas. Today I found several sticks in a video nestbox previously used by tree swallows and only 50 feet from the front bluebird box. Wrens tossing bluebird eggs is so well documented that there is no real need to tape it, but, it would be nice to know for sure, in case the nest is raided and the eggs are removed. Wrens leave a tell-tale pair of beak marks when they puncture eggs, but often simply fly off with them. Yesterday a house wren, as well as a starling entered the flicker box and destroyed the eggs. This is located in the east wilderness on the opposite side of the house, but I have a feeling that our long truce may soon be broken. The bluebird nest in the side yard has older nestlings that are doing fine in the heat. This box turned out to be over 100 feet from the closest building where I could place a vcr and monitor so I am not taping it.
