Project NestWatch - Nest Record Example

See filled-in data sheet for this example (bottom of page)
May 1	It is early morning and while you are busy working in your backyard, you notice an American Robin carrying a small twig and heading straight for the nearest spruce. After following it carefully, you can see that it is working on building a nest. Congratulations! This is your first visit to an American Robin nest. On your field sheet, you write down the species (American Robin), the location (your backyard, with your postal code, making a note that you will try to find out the precise coordinates a little later), and for your visit #1, you record the date, the time and N3 for Nest ¾ built as the construction is already well underway. Also, since you saw the adult carrying nesting material and you think it was the female because it had a pale orange breast, you mark down FB for the visit status code: F. Female, B. Building nest or carrying nest material.
May 5	A few days later, you approach the nest and manage to see that it contains 2 pale blue eggs, but there is no sign of the adult for now. You gently feel the eggs; they are cold. For your second visit, you note down the date and time, write down 2 for the number of eggs, and CO (cold) for the visit status codes. Back at your deck, you also start taking notes about the nest site. You mark down that the nest site is in a tree, that it is unenclosed, and partially hidden. Your backyard is flat and therefore the direction of the slope is not relevant here. The nest is about 1.5 metres above the ground. You describe the habitat as class D (human sites) and sub-class 1 (urban).
May 8	This time, as you approach the nest, you see the female taking off from the nest where she was apparently incubating. You have a brief look at the nest contents and see 4 eggs. For your third visit, you note down the date and time, 4 eggs, and the visit status codes WA (the eggs were warm) and FN (the female was flushed from her nest). As you leave the nest site, you notice that the male is watching you from a high branch of a nearby tree, giving a few alarm calls. Again, for the visit status codes, you mark down MV for male seen in the vicinity of nest.
May 9 - May 20	During this period, you make 2 short visits to the nest and you remember to note the date and time of both visit. On your fourth visit, you see that the female is sitting tight on her nest and decide not to flush her away. You mark down a question mark (?) under number of eggs and indicate that she was at her nest (visit status code FN for female that was on/at/flushed from the nest). On your fifth visit, you notice that only three eggs remain. Under number of eggs, you note down 3 and again FN (you flushed the female). In the meantime, you read the Project NestWatch Frequently Asked Questions and realize that measuring your coordinates is relatively simple even with a road map. Following the instructions, you are able to figure out the approximate coordinates of your house from your provincial road map.
May 21	Visit #6: this is it! One of the young is well on its way out of the egg, and the 2 other eggs are cracked. Under number of eggs, you note 3 and write down HA. hatching and PI. pipping/calling from egg. As both parents watch nervously around the nest, you also add the code PV for pair in vicinity of nest.
May 22 - June 2	It is a real treat to see the young grow so fast! They are really getting bigger every visit! During this period, you make 2 more visits. During these 2 short weeks, you see the young grow from tiny naked creatures to full grown juveniles which are about to leave the nest. The parents have been very busy bringing worms and juicy bugs to their little ones, and the whole family looks very healthy.
June 5	This is your last visit. As you approach the nest, you see the 3 young sitting on your lawn, not far from the spruce tree where this story all began. One of the adults comes with a mouthful of worms and starts feeding the hungry youngsters. For your 9th visit, you note down the date and time for the last time, and put 0 under number of young at the nest. Under the section nest outcome, you indicate that the nest was a success by marking in the boxes AC (adult carrying food near nest) and NN (fledged young seen near nest). In the comments, you write that you saw 3 young being fed by a parent.