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Just wanted to say Hi and that I am so very happy to have found this site. I’ve loved and have had bluebird nest boxes for years, but son gave me a nest box with camera and this is my third season.
My first season was sad. My first clutch never hatched. The moved to another of my nest boxes without a camera. Mama had 5 pretty blue eggs. After just a few days they deserted it and went back to my number 1 nest box, build a new nest, and mama proceeded to lay 5 more lovely blue eggs. They all hatched. I watched them grow and grow. One morning my app dinged and I saw a huge rat snake going into the box. I ran out grabbed it and slung it out of the box about 10 feet away. All 5 babies were fine. About a week later around one in the morning we were watching tv phone dinged and there was a much smaller snake in the box. I ran out and managed to get it out with a stick. It had eaten two of my babies. Three of them were fine. The next day those three fledged.
Last year I fixed both nest boxes on poles with hole protectors, noel guard and stove pipe baffles. Also installed a camera in my second nest box. First clutch of 5 eggs hatched, babies all grew up and flew away. Next clutch was in my other nest box. Babies fledged at 14 days which I thought was early. We weren’t home, but on the camera you could hear mama’s shrill call and they all flew out of box in less than a minute. Hope and pray they made it okay.
Nest clutch was in the other box, There was 5 beautiful little babies. After a week or so I never saw daddy. Mama worked her tail feathers off feeding and taking care of all five little ones. But success she did and all 5 fledged.
This is my third year. Mama had 5 eggs but only 4 hatched. Mama and daddy are feeding them them well and they are growing fine. Love my blue birds.
Pets
Hi Nora. I’m happy you found the site, too.
Sad to hear about the first season. I guess you didn’t have a baffle on the pole that year?
This is my first season with nesting bluebirds. I put up the box last summer, late. We are on second nest, now. First was 5 eggs, two hatched, and they fledged a few weeks ago. Then another pair started soon after and I noticed a nest and 1 egg before I even realized that female had been building the nest. Ultimately, we have 3 eggs now being incubated.
Love the bluebirds, too.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
That is awesome you were able to get the snakes out. I’m terrified of snakes and have two snake guards on my bb house because they have caused a lot of tears for me. This is the first year in 6 years bb have not nested in my box but its ok they will come again. Happy bluebirding to both of you..
Good Morning,
I had no clue until after the snakes about predator guards. Now I have a hole extender, noel guard and a stove pipe baffle as well as moving the house from a 4 by 4 post to a round pipe. Last night was the first night mama didn’t stay with the babies so they can regulate their body temp now. She and dad are feeding every few minutes this morning. Estimated fledge day is May 2 or 3. I could just sit all day and watch them.
I am so glad for you and your blue birds. The year isn’t over yet so you still could have a bluebird pair move in. No I didn’t know about predator guards. I am very scared of snakes too, but guess the mama in me came out when I saw it. All I could think of was protecting the babies. Then I really got to researching everything about bluebirds, Now nest box is on a pole and not a 4 by 4 post. I have both noel guard and stovepipe baffle. Just love watching them fly in and out and feeding.
The stovepipe should do the trick as far as the snakes. We have a blacksnake that lives in the area and comes around periodically, and I saw it just a couple weeks ago. It’s sort of tough on my mind, because I like having the wildlife around, and I’m happy to have the black snake as well. Anyway, the stovepipe baffle I have on our nest box seems to be keeping the snake in its lane, or the lane I prefer it stay in anyway.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
I actually saw bb’s on top of the house today. Maybe they will hang around. Glad to know the stovepipe works because i have that and something that looks like a cone above it.
Good to hear your experiences Nora. That Snake and predator baffle will do a lot to insure the little ones survival.
David
Stafford, VAI sure hope that your Bluebirds hang around. Nothing like the sight of them to brighten a day. I made sure to have food at the feeders that they like. Have had feeders for years, last year and this are the first time they have been at the feeders. I have actually seen them take the meal worm nugget suets and give the babies.
Welcome. Another thing you might need to do if you live in the South is electrify your box right at the bottom. Those rat snakes can get by even cylinder predator guards where rat snakes are super long. Up here in the North it isn’t a problem. I know this from Purple Martin groups I’m on. The Noel guard and extended hole doesn’t really help much at all. But as others have said your cylinder guard should help.
Concerning one of your nests… Babies aren’t ready to fledge at 14 days. And usually do so only if something makes them fledge. They usually can’t fly at that age. They can fly around from spot to spot on the ground but can’t fly up into a tree. But if predators didn’t get them they might have made it. Could your dates me wrong?Tammy
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