Ash-throated Flycatchers Coming Back In Numbers

Ash-throated Flycatcher photo by Frank Kratofil

The Ash-throated Flycatchers are back in a big way!  I currently have three pair nesting and others still checking out nestboxes.  I really love these birds.  See my other post here Ash-throated Flycatchers Nesting In My Backyard .  I love this shot of the flycatcher my friend Frank took with its “crest” standing up like Don King on a good day.  Here are a few pictures of the newly hatched flycatcher chicks I’ve taken in the last couple of days.     

Ash-throated Flycatcher Nest With Eggs photo by Larry Jordan

Ash-throated Flycatcher Chick Just Hatched photo by Larry Jordan

Ash-throated Flycatcher Chicks Day 2 photo by Larry Jordan

Ash-throated Flycatcher Chicks Day 3 photo by Larry Jordan

Ash-throated Flycatcher Chicks Day 6 photo by Larry Jordan

You can see how fast these chicks grow, from just hatched to flying out on their own in less than three weeks!  As a friend of mine said, birds have to learn as much in a day as we humans learn in a year. 

Ash-throated Flycatchers Day 8 photo by Larry Jordan

This was the last photo I got of the nesting Ash-throated Flycatchers.  You can see the chick in front is starting to open its eyes.  The next time I was able to check the nestbox the chicks were over 13 days old and I just peaked into the box to see little birds with tail feathers so I carefully closed the box and left them alone.

These chicks fledged just two days ago and now I hear silky Ash-throated Flycatcher songs all day long.  I hope you will enjoy having either the Ash-throated Flycatcher in the West or the Great Crested Flycatcher in the East nesting with you soon if you have not already experienced them.  Until then…

Happy Birding!