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Hiii everyone
I put up a box and a pair have built a very nice nest with a good nest cup. It’s been little over a week I think and still no eggs. I haven’t really seen them around much.
I’m in Maryland, and its been pretty cold lately, just starting to really warm up this weekend.
I did install a racoon baffle on the pole after the nest looked completed.
Could I have possibly spooked them by doing this?
I hope not : /
Peace.
Bluedabadee
Here in Florida, the guide produced by the Florida Bluebird Society says the female will start laying eggs about a week after the nest is completed. I watched the first nesting pretty close, and this was about right for what I observed. This second nesting, I must not have paid attention because by the time I looked there was already one egg, and I had no idea the female had been building a nest.
If I were in your shoes, I would give it more time. You should see the pair hanging around and paying attention to the nest box, perhaps alternately perching on it, or you’ll see the male landing at the opening and peering in. Activity around the nest box is a good sign.
Just out of curiosity, how much did you disturb the nest box and for how long? I’m thinking of things like did you remove the next box from the poll, what did you do with it while you did this, and how long before you put the next box back in place?
Caveats: This is my first season. I’m on second nest. The previous pair started at end of February and those young fledge a few weeks ago. One thing I’ve observed is when a pair choose a nest site, they become very determined and attached to that site.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
Hiiii
It’s finally warming up here in Maryland. Having some morning coffee and sadly watching the box but don’t see them :(
yeah, I just don’t know what to do. I’ll wait a couple more weeks to see if they have abandoned it. I don’t want to take it out yet just in case
I think I shouldn’t have put the baffle on. I didn’t want to wait until they laid eggs though because I have to dismantle the box to do that. Yes I had to take the pole apart but didn’t disturb the nest or box.
Maybe they saw me :(
Cheers,
Bluedabadee Yeah, I don’t know . . . I can see in my mind the birds coming back while you had the setup disassembled and not finding the nest. Would that lead them to move on? I don’t know.
My thoughts, FWIW, if you have time to sit and watch the nest box for a while, say an hour, and you don’t see any bluebirds, male or female, paying any attention at all to the nest box, then I would assume that nesting pair abandoned the site. That attention can be something as simple as one of the pair perching on the top of the box. The male may land at the opening and peer in. Or you may see the female entering or you catch her exiting. If you aren’t looking at the time, you’ll miss it. As I say, I wasn’t paying attention and the female here built a nest right under my nose. But I wouldn’t wait another couple weeks. If you can spend some time just watching the nest box, you should know pretty quick and make a decision in the next day or two. I’m interested to see what others say.
I think in the long run, you did the right thing, and not having a baffle would have been the wrong move. Mark it down to experience.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
I agree with this. I am in Stafford, VA with similar weather to what you have. My birds started to build around the first week of March but just took their time building. They finished on March 28 but did not lay the first egg until April 2. If the BB pair have not been back to look in and around the nest for a couple of weeks, they have probably abandoned it. There could have been a mishap for one of the pair.
I do agree that taking the box down was probably not a good idea once thay had started to build the nest.
Give it another week. if no activity, then I would remove the nest and let another pair start all over.David
Stafford, VAMy situation is a little strange.
I’ve had a box up since winter they were checking out and I put up another box in a nice field out back.
Literally the day I put it up, they moved in and started building a nest. It’s prime bluebird real estate.Now I think they are starting another nest in the old box I have.
so confused haha!
Just deal with each box separately. I doubt you will know if it is the same pair or a different pair using the other box. Could be, but you won’t know. So, for the box you were talking about originally, if you see no interest from the bluebirds for a couple days, do as David says, in his words, clean out that box and let another pair start all over — but with a caveat.
The new issue I wonder about is if the boxes are too close to each other for the environment. My neighbor and I each have nest boxes, but we have a tall privacy fence and dense bamboo between us and it is working, so I know there is more to it than the 100-yard rule. Anyway, just something to keep in mind. Watch the birds and their behavior will tell you what’s going on.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
Just deal with each box separately. I doubt you will know if it is the same pair or a different pair using the other box. Could be, but you won’t know. So, for the box you were talking about originally, if you see no interest from the bluebirds for a couple days, do as David says, in his words, clean out that box and let another pair start all over — but with a caveat.
The new issue I wonder about is if the boxes are too close to each other for the environment. My neighbor and I each have nest boxes, but we have a tall privacy fence and dense bamboo between us and it is working, so I know there is more to it than the 100-yard rule. Anyway, just something to keep in mind. Watch the birds and their behavior will tell you what’s going on.
An Easter surprise! First egg is out!
Is that in the nest box you were originally asking about, or is that the second one you mentioned?
At any rate, congratulations!
This is the one I was screwing with and thought I had scared them off
I knew when I approached and saw the mom zoom out they had an egg
I had a feeling they were still around
I’ll put up the sparrow spooker later in the morning tomorrow
Thanks and here’s to many more!
Must have been the nice warm weather :)
Seems something happened to your post, at least on my end. I got the email notificastion, post #27942, about the second egg and sparrow spooker. I have tried Safari and Edge, in both cases last post before mine here is #27935.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
Yeah I don’t know what happened tried to include a pic
I went out today to check the nest and she was in there laying another egg at 9 in the morning, kind of a late start there Mom!
haha.
I tried to put up the sparrow spooker yesterday but they weren’t too thrilled I don’t think they went in so I’m going to try again as soon as she’s done.
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