Tseek-a-dee-dee-dee

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee,
Fort Casey State Park

Chestnut-Backed entering a nest cavity

Sitting on the western side of Whidbey Island, Fort Casey State Park is a popular spot for islanders to relax on some of the most impressive bluffs in the area. A historical coastal artillery post, the park is nearly 500 acres with an expansive view of the Puget Sound. 

Although I enjoyed touring the old Casey armaments, you can probably guess what occupied most of my time while at the park…finding birds. I happened upon this little fellow while sitting in the woods. A cousin of the SC native Carolina Chickadee, the Chestnut-Backed Chickadee is a handsome bird with classic chickadee white cheeks and a black bib. But unlike the more subdued Carolina and Black-Capped species, this bird exhibits rich chestnut sides and flanks, an evolutionary adaptation to the dark brown bark of the hardwood and coniferous forests where it lives. Sure enough, this guy was deep in the middle of a Douglas Fir forest, a habitat it uses to feed, breed, and raise young.

This rabbit, seen just 10 feet from the
 chickadee nests, has likely contributed warm fur for nestlings!

Making cavity nests in rotten trees, stumps, and soft wood, chickadees prefer established forest areas with plenty of mature wood. But making a comfy nest isn’t a single species affair. These birds in particular utilize fur from other forest animals to line their nests and keep their eggs warm. Yet another example of the subtle and intricate connections of the natural world.