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Gnatcatcher nesting and scarlet tanager at water hole



Saw a blue-gray gnatcatcher hopping about on the ground yesterday and at 
first thought it was snagging insects from some sort of emergence. It took 
off in a deliberate flight high into an oak on the other side of the house so 
I decided to investigate. After seeing it (turns out there were two) making 
several more trips in rapid succession, I finally found the nest, high up in 
a white oak (about 60 feet I am guessing), nestled on top of a small fork in 
a branch, about two feet in from the tip of the branch. Turns out it wasn't 
snagging insects, but was gathering spider silk. I watched the pair make many 
flights over the next few minutes and actually saw them gather spider silk on 
several other occasions yesterday and today. Could not really tell what other 
materials they were using except that on one trip, one of them dropped a 
sliver of shredded bark they must have pulled off a branch.

After arriving at the nest each time, they would quickly place the materials 
in the nest and then seemingly press themselves down into the nest as if they 
were molding it with their body. 

An added highlight today was a male scarlet tanager landing in a buttonbush 
in my water garden, and then dropping down on a stone at the seep and 
drinking. What an incredible color!

Mike Dunn
Chatham County