Adorable Chickadee Discovers the Nest Camera

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

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[@charliefoxx81]

Would love to see you sell nesting boxes =) I'd buy a few! Edit: perhaps ones that are 'camera ready' or a video on how to set up a nesting box with a camera. Love all your videos and checking in on the lovely birds. I have about 20+ species I feed daily along with my 8 squirrels lol

[@lindamon5101]

She's like Leslie Hello? It is my NESTING BOX CAN I GET SOME PRIVACY IN MY BEDROOM?

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Hey! The nest box I use is made by birds.walkingdown.com/birdhouse/ He has several plans that can be downloaded :)

[@micahbirdlover8152]

​@@LesleytheBirdNerdinky is cute 🥰 and funny 🤭😀 silly 🙃

[@Pack.Leader]

I'm with Inky. I'm tired of all the surveillance in this world, in this day and age.

[@skylark...]

She's one smart chickadee! The females are more cautious and curious cause they are laying eggs. In nature the females are very protective of their young and she wants to make sure it's not a threat. I sure do love this little bird and her antics! Thanks for the video!!❤️🐦

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

That's a good point thank you for sharing it! I'm glad you enjoy seeing little Inky and her antics :)

[@exoticbutters3113]

I love Inky so much. I can't wait to see her be a mama, and I'm especially excited to see if they share her strange dark markings!

[@spencergage95]

I get why she’s curious, cameras aren’t exactly something birds see in the wild.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

That is true, although in Inky's case she is very familiar with cameras due to me taking pictures of her on my hand with them :)

[@birbluv9595]

Inky is a very smart bird - she’s so curious, she doesn’t lose interest easily, and she tries engaging with the camera by pecking it! She sees something unnatural and wonders if it could be a threat to her nest. If she sees her own reflection and thinks it’s another chickadee intruding into her space, I bet she wonders how that strange bird ever got up there! I love her personality and cute behaviors!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

So true about her, I love how persistent and investigative she is. Lots of personality for sure :) Thank you for watching!

[@Northcountry1926]

@@LesleytheBirdNerdToo Cute !

[@jannettaktibbs7268]

If she sees her reflection, she may think there is a rival bird after her babies. Absolute cuteness abounds!!❤

[@mspears_bobobuddytheseniorcat]

Lights, camera, action! I think Inky knows that she's a star! ✨🎥🎬🐤😂😉❤

[@cattailer1077]

I think its a mom thing😉. Moms are ALWAYS looking out for their brood🥰

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

I think you're right 🙂

[@neolithic3]

Inky is not only cute but smart too!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Inky's awesome :)

[@julieprior3126]

Enchanting! She's making a lovely job of constructing a very cosy nest ❤

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you! I like her nest building skills too :)

[@jamiepender6667]

I love your videos so much. Birds have gotten me through a series of deeply depressed stages in my life. They’re my therapy.

[@JenDeyan]

I'm a certified Inky fan. She's too adorable .

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Wonderful! :) Thanks for watching!

[@shawnpeterson2523]

Thanks for sharing. That is super adorable. I must admit, I get a smile every time I here the “hey sweetie” call.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Hard not too, it's such a sweet little call. Every time Philbert comes to the nest box he let Inky know that he is there by giving a faint version of the Hey Sweetie. Sometimes Inky will come out to greet him. Very adorable! Thanks for watching :)

[@theck672]

Super sweet and adorable 🥰

[@amylandry4108]

Inky is so cute ❤

[@Amg799]

The camera does kind of look like a giant eyeball. Maybe that’s why? Inky is absolutely precious!! 💗

[@jamescady723]

Inky is very special and fortunate to have you!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you for the kind comment 🙂🐦

[@roxannemaguire9844]

Sweet, inquisitive little Mama's!!! 🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you for watching! 🐦

[@roxannemaguire9844]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd Leslie - our thanks to YOU for filming!!! ♥️♥️♥️

[@NaNa-j7b2q]

Inky sees her own reflection n its driving her crazy!lol how flippin cute!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Hahaha Thanks for watching! :)

[@annecarter5181]

Very observant little girl-~

[@marianmartin9441]

Your love for birds is awesome, and I think they know you love them!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you very much :)

[@tardigrade9493]

I 💓💞💌💓 birds!

[@maxavallone7510]

Aww she is so sweet!

[@truenreal365]

Maybe she senses its a big eye. Anyway she is splurging with cuteness😊

[@martiemc8398]

Birds are smarter than you think 😅!

[@Sunrise635]

Inky's a riot! Happy nesting, sweetie.

[@nationaljones1]

Thank you for your great videos! Birds are awesome!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you for the very nice comment. I agree, birds are awesome :)

[@IYeleven]

I hope they have healthy offspring, and they live long and happy lives 💖💖💖

[@karls.5921]

They are extremely cute. 🥹

[@mitchmatthews6713]

She's photogenic! Thank you for this video, Lesley!

[@Terri_Stauffer]

Just when you thought Inky was adorable she ups the ante and shows how smart she is. I love when birds make you fall in love with them all over again. 🥰

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Exactly. Inky sure knows how to lay on the cuteness. Watching her and Philbert this year has made my love and appreciation for chickadees grow monumentally. I've always loved these little birds but my gosh they are just soo amazing and wonderful. Thank you for watching :)

[@AniFam]

Sooo cute and diligent~💞 Thank you for sharing this video~🤗

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you 🤗

[@nhmisnomer]

So cute!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@JimsPal]

I love all of your precious birds but I must confess....I'm loving Inky the most!!! I can't stop smiling!!!😍😍🥰

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

I can understand that! She is a real sweetheart :) Thanks for watching!

[@JimsPal]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd you bet!!🥰

[@SIBUK]

They are soooo cute!!! 😍

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Agreeed 1000 percent :) Thanks for watching!

[@Robin-xt7yo]

Sweet and funny Inky.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Aww she is :) Thanks for watching

[@Robin-xt7yo]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd Thank you for sharing her cute and heartwarming antics with us!

[@topaztp]

Shes so cute- love how round she is at the start!

[@joniangelsrreal6262]

So smart ..🫶🏼

[@christopherbucher7017]

Aww sweet Inky and Philbert ❤

[@janacollins-maguire4942]

They make the cutest couple. She's making sure it's all safe for her babies. So sweet! 💜

[@lan1331]

She is the cutest! ❤

[@AuthorLHollingsworth]

Cute bird. The video is so peaceful 😍

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you very much!

[@djosbun]

Inky always dreamed of being a Hollywood starlet and realized that NOW’S HER CHANCE!!

[@desertfox3860]

She's a sweetie! Thanks Leslie!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Yes, a BIG Sweetie, haha! Thanks for watching :)

[@birdarts1074]

Inky is a smart, curious bird.

[@christianszeman1446]

I am fan of Inky now and I love her. She's smart, curious and beautiful

[@dowth3]

I'm relieved to hear that she discerned it wasn't a threat. I wondered if she'd go elsewhere thinking it too weird and therefore unsafe for her future babies. Your choice of music implied a curiosity, but I wasn't so sure. Glad it worked out -- great video!

[@abbracia]

Delighted to view Inky's curiosity. She is a treasure!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you :)

[@abbracia]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd well you are a treaure too. Thanks so much Lesley for your wonderful videos and all you do even off camera.

[@folee_edge]

OMG Inky you are SO CUTE ❤

[@Truffle85]

Inky is hilarious.What a funny little bird.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

I know hey?! She's awesome :) Thank you for watching

[@readyforknowing3009]

Another beautiful video. Thank you Lesley, Inky & Philbert ❣️😍

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thanks so much, Inky is awesome and so is Philbert. :)

[@rosemarrypolack5708]

She is such a smart little doll face❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@bgddogdflgd3013]

Chickadees are so adorable and intelligent. I love all my fur babies. 🐦 💗💙👀

[@haroldsmith45302]

In addition to possibly seeing her own image reflected by the camera cover, Inky might be sensing the slight heat being radiated by the circuitry in the camera or by the camera's night-vision infra-red illuminator if there is one. Also the lens itself might resemble an eye (well, it is a sort of eye). Somewhat similar to Inky's behaviour, there are KZbin videos of wild mammals curiously "studying" trail cameras that are attached to trees in the forest, even at night when they would not be able to see their reflection in the lens.

[@annmiller5205]

She is a smart little girl! 💜

[@nadinetasmania]

Inky is adorable and I think you are right being aware of her surroundings before nesting is paramont to her babies survival.

[@sylphofthewildwoods5518]

Such a precious little birb. 😍

[@WhiteWolfBlackStar]

I.C.U! 👀 and ICU too! They’re just precious!

[@mollypitcher9380]

Are you sure you’re not Dr. Doolittle? I LOVE ALL your amazing photos!!! Truthfully, you are my favorite channel and I have LOTS of channels!🌸

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Awww wow what an honor, I'm so thrilled you enjoy the content we put out :) Thank you!

[@cantonhag]

It's so funny to see her look straight up at the camera. It makes her flat-top head and black throat divide her head in half when I can't see her cute beak😅 Thanks, Lesley ❣️

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Hahaha, I like that too, she's adorable! Thanks for watching :)

[@Alanadesigns]

She so adorable 🥰

[@Kyle_Schaff]

I’m ready for mama Inky! She got down to the base of the woodchips. If that doesn’t say determined, I don’t know what does. Maybe we’ll even see her snake display!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Haha! She is very determined bird and you're right who knows we just may see the snake display ;)

[@mscir]

What a ham she is. Great video, thanks.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thanks for watching!

[@jbr2991]

What an intelligent little bird. I read someone else’s comment about Inky being imprinted and associating the camera with Lesley. I tend to agree. Either way, she’s one adorable little bird who has stolen the hearts of many people. ❤

[@elmax181]

This is soo cute Lesley! I love this video 🙂🐦💕

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Aww thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed our silly Inky :)

[@elmax181]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd I sure did enjoy Inky :)

[@mrs.g.9816]

So cute the way birds check out things with the tilt of their heads!

[@sebathadah1559]

"Greetings, friends! Want to watch me raise my babies?"

[@kerrykestrowl6785]

Inky is very curious and smart birb I really enjoy watching her or she can see herself in the cam and seeing how cute she is ❤

[@maria2400]

That’s incredibly Cute.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you for watching!

[@tamieckert4548]

She smelled your hands on it also ❤😂🎉

[@farkleberry471]

Birds are so smart!

[@marceld8961]

I just loved to Texas from Michigan, I miss the Black-Capped Chickadees 😔.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

:(

[@despacitodaniel801]

They're so ROUND

[@sherrywebber4013]

Oh, how adorable Leslie! Thank you so much for sharing inky period I have not been on the your channel lately due to life going on and bringing chaos but I am back! So I'm gonna go back and watch all the cameras on that cute little chickadee Inky because I have about 20pair That come to my feeders

[@tylerwinkle323]

I'm probably way off and I know people are here looking at how cute, fluffy, and adorable Inky's behavior is, but given how good Chickadee memories are I'm thinking there's a chance Inky the chickadee has learned to associate cameras with Lesley. Meaning, that it is more than curiosity and possibly cognition we are witnessing. For reference, the chickadees that I feed in my yard have come to recognize my face, my clothing, and the peanut canisters I keep seeds and nuts in for them when I walk out. They don't like when I change clothing or the peanut cans because they don't like new things. This goes for nesting sites, they are very selective about them and anything unusual or unsettling would usually discard that site as a possible selection. So if Inky grew up knowing Lesley all her life, and Lesley has a camera on her often enough, perhaps it is reasonable to assume that Inky could be making an association or imprint on the cameras - specifically the shiny lens. If you are willing to accept this hypothesis, then look at it from the perspective of a young adult looking up at a parent or guardian in the following timestamps: 0:39 ok here is the nest cam, notice how small the lens are compared to the rest of the reflective, plastic camera body 0:18 she looking directly into the lens showing you what a good job she did excavating the nest site 0:43 again, perched on the entrance looking directly into the lens 1:08 she's being funny here, or showing you who's the boss in her tiny avian family 1:15 looking straight into the lens after extensive excavation of nest box 1:41 the pecks are all gentle 2:03 this knock-knock-knock may be the only time I've seen in the videos where she is testing the structure of the camera box 2:20 perhaps this is her showing the camera (Lesley) what a good job she is doing building the nest 2:30 same thing here What do you think?

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Your thoughts on this is appreciated and interesting to ponder. Just like you, I've noticed that the birds who know me also get weirded out if I come out with different clothing or not the same attire they are used too ( my outdoor clothes) So much so that I make a point to keep my clothing the same, even when having to buy new stuff. As winter transitions to Spring I slowly day by day start wearing my cooler clothing, allowing them time to get used to my new look. So I totally agree there. Inky is very used to my camera, after al I take pictures and videos of her on my hand, that's really close. She does sometimes look at it or into it, she along with the others are quite aware of it. I see something much more in Inky than I do other chickadees. She is actually very observant and comes off as very intelligent to me. I find it interesting to think of her associating the nest camera with me. Not sure how to know for certain that she does, but it's fun to wonder about. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

[@katiekane5247]

​@@LesleytheBirdNerdit's a sweet thought, isn't it?

[@tylerwinkle323]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd Thanks Lesley for your kind reply. I was not sure if all this was due to the video editing and I was just anthropomorphizing Inky's behavior. Then I remembered the other day the chickadees and titmice showing me their fledglings in my yard. You see back in late winter and early spring, I had asked them to bring their family by. I knew they would go away for the quiet period in early summer, so I asked them every day. Well, I think they understood and remembered. So these past two weeks they have been parading their fledglings by in nearby trees as I do work in my garden, chirping happily at me. In previous years when I did not ask them to drop by in the summer, they really did not reappear again until early fall. Now all of this could be coincidence or some other factor, but the simplest answer to this is they understand us. These birds, chickadees especially, are master communicators. And they have excellent memories. Put the two together and it must equal to a level of intelligence we rarely give them credit for. That is why when we discover smarter individuals within their number, we are perplexed at how they act around humans and human inventions. Perhaps it is we who lack the intelligence or imagination to understand what they really know! Inky is a special chickadee and I am happy she is in your life.

[@randomvielleuse527]

@@tylerwinkle323 I really like your theory about Inky's behavior with the camera and suspect you're right. I've found saying words to wild animals while holding very clear pictures in my mind about my intentions (me gardening and visualizing not bothering a bird, but working around it, me trying to rescue some trapped baby raccoons and visualizing the babies getting back safely to the very concerned mother) has worked more often than not. I do this all the time with horses and cats and it works really well with them. Wild animals less so, but often enough that I keep doing it.

[@tylerwinkle323]

@@randomvielleuse527 They understand us a lot more than we understand them. Which is quite odd considering we are supposedly the most intelligent species on the planet. I am quite certain all of the birds and small mammals in my yard understand me to an extent. Sometimes I will ask a bird to come closer and it will, other times I will ask the birds nearby to go fetch another bird (I'll ask for them to fetch the cardinal) and a few minutes later there's the cardinal chirping at me. It happens often enough that it is unlikely to be coincidence - I think the times they don't listen, they are just busy or don't feel like running errands for the neighborhood human lol.

[@dyanalayng5507]

"This weird thing! I'm just going to give it a few hard smacks!" She may think of covering it with spiderwebs ... 💖💕

[@tramarherrera6685]

Inky: Really? I need my privacy please.❤

[@juliestrom412]

I love your background music! Fantastic work Leslie!

[@juliestrom412]

I spelled your name wrong. Sorry

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

No worries :)

[@robbabcock_]

That's so adorable!

[@mariamilazzo2196]

Love watching your videos... been a couple of years now... you're an amazing human!🫠

[@goggleuser12]

Since following your channel, you have made me very fond of black -capped chickadees. I always think back to your video about the "cheeseburger call." 🤗 🍔

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

That is so awesome! :)

[@tylerwinkle323]

Lesley is it possible she is linking the camera to you? When you are with her you must have your camera on hand. Chickadees have great memories.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

I'm not sure, but I think she sees her reflection in the camera. Birds are known to fight their own reflections thinking it's another bird. It's an excellent thought you have on this though, maybe she also relates it to me and my camera. :) Birds are always fun

[@tylerwinkle323]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd This may be more than that. If it is her own reflection, it should trigger territorial behavior however minimal and cute. As you mentioned, other birds like Cardinals puff up and fight their own reflections. Here, she is curious and almost seems to be saying "Hello? Lesley?" Does she react the same way when you have a camera in hand while visiting her outside? See if you catch her stealing glances at the camera in your hand, or even pecking at it, the next time you feed her. Edit: Now that I think about it, could it be she is partially imprinted on the camera? You must be the only person she has ever met with a camera, and since she has known you nearly all her life there must be some level of imprinting on you. I think she sees the camera as a part of you. If so, that must be part of the reason why she chose the nestbox. Most birds do not like unusual things in their nest sites, but your chickadees seem to readily accept big shiny nest box cams with no issue. Other birds that I have seen nest in nestboxes with cameras do not seem nearly as interested after initial examination of the camera lens when selecting the site. What we associate with cuteness and curiosity may actually be cognition. If I had to take a wild anthropomorphic guess, I would say Inky thinks of you as "mommy" and thinks you are looking out for her. Which, if you think about it, isn't that far from the truth!

[@joepoppenhagen5694]

Inky is a you tube star!

[@crystiepratt5239]

Smart little bird

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Thank you for watching! :)

[@ArchTeryx00]

Jack Aulis, in his book, "Eagles have Bad Breath (or How to Identify Birds without knowing anything about them)," said of chickadees, "They are full of curiosity, self-confidence and insects." and inquisitive little Inky is one of many to prove him dead right.

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

I love that. Thank you for sharing :)

[@ny_gsdluver6227]

Hi Cutie@!👀🐦

[@extremelydeplorablebodean839]

She SAYS " I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME" ! Seriously though I have had years when robins in spring would fly into certain window's of my house, over & over like attacking the window, got so bad in my bedroom window I had to hang a towel on the outside. I figured the robins were seeing themselves in the glass & thinking it was a nest space competitor. Would only happen in the morning time about the time I just wanted to sleep for another hour or so.

[@joanakubiak3953]

Inky is next gen Chickadee

[@theraven1212]

what a cute bird, it looks like a fluff ball 😭❤ even its name is cute 😭

[@herschelwright4663]

We are watching you!👀📹😂

[@alicemcpherson7961]

Females vs makes in noticing their surroundings is Universal isn't it 😂😂😂. She has to make sure her babies will be safe. Great footage!

[@3cheersforthesacredalgorythym]

Too cute! X

[@TheGdunham]

How funny and cute.

[@Lilybet1316]

Did she remove the shavings and replace with nesting materials she selected or did she build on top of the shavings? So interesting and sweet to observe the process! Thank you!

[@marlyndonnelly2206]

She is a sassy little thing!

[@robtrombley4444]

Hello Lesley, It makes perfect sense; her maternal instincts are kicking in, and she wants to ensure this anomaly is not a threat before she commits to raising kids (sky babys) there. She is sooooo cute.

[@nefariousyawn]

This is exactly my reaction whenever I find a camera in the ceiling of my airbnb.

[@mc12358]

It's like "Eye In The Sky" by The Alan Parsons Group ❤

[@kymmcgee2466]

I visit Chickadees and Titmouse birds at a local park and i whistle to let them know I am back. They literally fly to me and eat out of my hand. I love watching your videos and seeing all the birds but live Philbert and Inky's adventures!

[@LesleytheBirdNerd]

Aren't they the sweetest little beings ever? How they just know a person, oh I just love these little birds :) Thanks for watching the video. Have a great night!

[@kymmcgee2466]

@@LesleytheBirdNerd thanks so much for your wonderful videos!!!