Redstart Nest watch, the first of three

I saw a female redstart gathering birch for her nest another time she was at the base of Cinnamon fern stalks

there were three males sining in the curtilage around our place

I followed her after she left the cinnamon fern and waited after I lost her, I followed again the next time she passed and she led me to her nest in a skinny Birch.

female shaping nest cup June 2,

June 12

I scaled an adjacent spruce and got a good angle.

It was @ 18' up,     when the wind blows the cradle will rock

I leaned a ladder on the spruce to ease access

the males were singing constantly, there was considerable jousting.  I think I saw a neighboring male drive a female away when she crossed his line, 

I also saw a Parula clear out when it noticed a pair of redstarts approaching near a waterhole they visited.
 

June 21, 11:05

June 21,  2:43

I read in Bent of observations of males passing feed to females the first day.

and after he seemed to try to feed, she was only gone one minute when she came back

 he passed her a bite

and she took it to the nest

and fed ,

but he didn't just scoot, he lingered there and approached,

and he looked over he shoulder

maybe he still had a little bite in his bill, or maybe he just wanted to gaze at the beautiful gapes.

he got closer and leaned right in

then he got across the nest and I think she took another piece 

they looked at each other 

then she got back to work.

June 21, 2:44