A few weeks ago, Pete Peterson, a recent graduate of the VCU Center for Environmental Studies and a Ph.D. student this fall in the Integrative Life Sciences program, came upon a group of frogs sharing a nesting box with a family of Carolina Chickadees and their eggs.  Peterson checks the avain boxes regularly at Rice Rivers Center, and noticed this unusual pairing. We asked him to provide us an update as the family grew.  Here is what he observed on Monday, April 30.

“I checked the boxes at Rice again today. The Chickadee eggs in box 10 have officially hatched! The nestlings appear to be maybe three or four days old (a little younger than expected), but I’m not trained in aging chickadees. 

Two of the frogs have left but one still remains! This week was especially warm so I bet that encouraged them to leave. I’m so curious why this one is still here. Maybe the frogs liked the extra heat from incubation. Now that the parents have shifted their energy to feeding the nestlings, maybe this one is benefitting from a parent dropping some insects in the box.

I have really enjoyed getting to see first hand how this story has developed over the past few weeks!”

We will share updates on the chicks' – and frog’s – progress.