Field Notes · Catnum 221586 · score 8 — moderate uncertainty
Nest: Diameter: Humble cup shape Depth: 2 inches Located in a briar tumble bordering a swamp woods, up about seven feet in height Composed of grasses and weeds and lined with finer grasses and seaweed. Most birds in this region from the Osprey on down in size seem to utilize sea grass in construction of their nests. These beautiful songsters are plentiful on the mainland of Virginia but this was the only pair noted on this five mile long island. No doubt the small size of the red can be accounted for by some push down. It bordered a breeding colony of Purple Grackles most of whose eggs had already hatched. I was not able to read all of the hundreds of red & brown. It rained and blew steadily all day but our new short rain coats kept us perfectly dry. Found six new species today making it the biggest day ever.
Metadata · Catnum 221586
Date08 May 1917
LocalityNorthampton, Virginia, USA
CollectorBrandt, H.W.
Eggs in Set2
Specimen TypeC
Incubationtwo thirds (transcribed as “3/4's”)
Identificationbird seen
Nest Height2.13 m (7 feet)
Nest Supportbriar tumble
Nest Materialsgrasses, weeds
Nest Liningfiner grasses, seaweed
Near Waternear water
Nest Settingbordering a swamp woods
Nest NotesHumble cup shape, 2 inches depth. Most birds in this region from the Osprey on down in size seem to utilize sea grass in construction of their nests. These beautiful songsters are plentiful on the mainland of Virginia but this was the only pair noted on this five mile long island. No doubt the small size of the red can be accounted for by some push down. It bordered a breeding colony of Purple Grackles most of whose eggs had already hatched. I was not able to read all of the hundreds of red & brown. It rained and blew steadily all day but our new short rain coats kept us perfectly dry. Found six new species today making it the biggest day ever.
HeaderCOLLECTION OF H. W. BRANDT
Further DetailsA -2
✦ Anecdote
This record documents an unusual use of seaweed as nest lining material by a Northern Cardinal on a Virginia island, where the collector notes that most local birds from ospreys down to smaller species incorporate sea grass into their nest construction.