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It's been difficult to tell where the 2003 Season left off, and the 2004
season begins, because we had our flock of Bluebirds stay with us all winter
this year. The heated birdbath in the back yard, and the mealworm and suet
offerings at the kitchen window tempted them to stay. (Click the thumbnails to
see a larger image.)
A few warm days in March were enough to
encourage some interest in the Gilberston's boxes.
And by early April, there was a competed nest
in one.
But here comes
trouble! The return of the Tree Swallows on April 9:
April 18 - 22: The completed nest is being
used at last!
Meanwhile, the Tree Swallows seem to have settled into one of the
wooden nestboxes in the back.
In mid-April we obtained a new type
of mealworm feeder to discourage the Starlings that were raiding the
other one.
On May 1, we had to leave the feeding of the
Bluebirds in the inexperienced hands of our 18 and 24-year old daughter and son,
while we made an unexpected trip out of town. The eggs were due to hatch on May
5 - 7, so we were quite anxious to see them on our return. We arrived home too
late on Saturday, May 8 to check the nestbox. Sunday, May 9, we got our first
peek at the newly arrived Bluebird babies.
May
15 - We have decided that the Bluebirds must have hatched sometime on
Wednesday or Thursday, the 5th or 6th of May. So now the babies are about
10-11 days old.
May
16 - This is the last day we take a peek at the Bluebird babies in the nest,
as checking them after this date could cause them to fledge too early.
.
The Tree Swallow couple have
taken up residence in the wooden nestbox.
The result is five beautiful little eggs
in a feathery nest.
May 21 - This is the first time we've
seen the Bluebird babies peeking from their nestbox. Fledging must be very
near!
We
have decided to take a chance on experimenting with installing a Sparrow
Spooker on the TRES nestbox, as we've seen some House Sparrows harassing
them. We don't know if the TRES will accept the spooker or not, though, so
careful monitoring after installing it is a necessity!
On May 22, one day after we see the first
signs of peeking from the Bluebirds, we find the box is empty, and see the
Bluebird pair carrying mealworms off to a stand of trees a hundred feet or so
from their nestbox. For the next two weeks we will have to be content
with providing mealworms when the adults come for them, which isn't every
day, since they are busy following the fledglings, and teaching them all
about how to hunt for their food.
It
looks as if the experiment was a success. "Josh and January", as we've named
our TRES couple, have accepted the Spooker after only a very short
adjustment period!
May 19 - We discover that we actually
have two TRES couples, the second couple building in the PVC box on the
south side of the property, the box that is paired with the other PVC box
that the Bluebirds are already nesting in.
Installation of the Spooker on TRES Nest
B was a little trickier, as the first day it was installed was windy, and
the TRES were too disturbed by it to enter the nestbox. We took it down that
evening, and put it back up the next day, and it didn't take long before the TRES were going in and out again, even perching right on top of the Spooker!
May 21 - Three eggs in "TRES Nest B"
June 1 - TRES Nest A hatches:
Nest B - Mama protecting her eggs
(we can't see how many there are!)
June 6 - the first Bluebird fledgling is
sighted!
And the Tree Swallow babies are getting
big!
June
7 - The fledglings start coming to the feeder with the adults, but still beg
to be fed.
One
fledgling has a bad leg -- he has a hard time landing and standing, but
flies beautifully. We hope he'll be ok!
June 7 - The eggs in TRES nest B have
hatched
June 12 - And the Bluebird fledglings are
getting bigger and braver
June 13 - Meanwhile, our Bluebird pair have
started on a second nesting, in the same nestbox as the first.
June 13 - Last look at the TRES in Nest A
before they fledge.
June 14 - The Bluebird fledglings are
learning to feed themselves
June 19 - One of the adult TRES feeding
an almost-ready-to-fledge baby in Nest A
June 26 - The second nesting of Bluebirds
is hatching
July 4 - Eight days old. The adults have
now encouraged the fledglings from the first nesting to strike out on their
own.
Sadly, the TRES nestlings in Nest B never made it to fledging. We don't
really know what happened to them. We noticed a reduction in activity at the
nest around the time they were supposed to have fledged, but when we
checked, we discovered the babies were still in the nest, dead, with no
signs of having been harmed by a predator or competitor.
July
10 - Bluebirds - Second nesting almost ready to fledge
July 14-15 One of the babies
fledged on the evening
of the 14th, the other two on the morning of the
15th.
July
31 - Two weeks post-fledging, the babies return with the adults to learn
about the handouts available at the feeder.
August 7
August 17
September 8 - One
fledgling visits mid-molt.
Juvenile feathers giving way to adult plumage
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