Nature Study Friday

This time for nature studies this past Friday, we geared up for the Great Backyard Bird count. Anyone else participate? In all our eagerness to find sooooo many different types of birds out here, we had to be satisfied with only 7 elusive ( said with tongue and cheek) black capped chickadees.
Nevertheless, when Dave and I took the dog for a walk, on Saturday, we came across a pileated woodpecker, and later that day, we heard two owls ( species unknown).  Where were these birds on Friday!?
Getting back to our chickadee friends...They are quite the interesting little bird. We learnt where they nest...and would you believe, that a hollowed out tree we have in our woods, that looks like dead wood, is inhabited by possibly a slew of these birds? We have an apartment for these birds. They don't make nests that we are used to. The actually dig out a hole from the insides of deadwood using their beaks, and make it all cozy with bits of moss  feathers, fur, and other soft materials.
Even though the Great Backyard Bird count is done for another year, hopefully with our next round of nature studies, we'll be able to look at some other birds. I'm on the hunt for some owl pellets, so maybe...just maybe we'll get a chance to look at the owls that are out our way.

Helloooo in there? Anyone home?