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Well, 4 out of my 5 babies fledged today, which is only day 16. We have had terrible rain storms the past 2-3 days and I was really worried about them. We had 4″ rain one day and the next day had another 4 1/4″, PLUS it turned off hot on top of this – when I checked the box on day 12 it was VERY nasty, damp & parents were not keeping it clean – very nasty looking. I had very large foam shield on the top which should have taken care of the rain, but with the horrible winds on top of the rain, it was a very bad situation for 5 babies in a fairly small box (Gilwood style). When I cleaned out the box today I found one dead baby – guess I am lucky the other 4 made it out at all.
I have thought all along that the Gilwood style box with a little smaller floor size, is just too small for 5 babies, especially on the 2nd nesting when it is hotter – get along pretty well with 4. We did build a little larger floor Gilwood style box which I used for demo in my Bluebird presentations, but I believe I will take the smaller one down and put up this new one for next year. Sure hope most of these 4 make it now. All I can do is hope for the best & supply a little supplemental food with mealworms.
Wowza Carol…..that’s is a lot of rain in two days‼️ I think I remember your first nesting this season left in a horrible wind/rain storm and you worried about their safety. That’s some bad timing for it to happen to the second set of fledglings too. Sad the #5 baby didn’t make it. Is it too hot in MO to get a 3rd nesting?
I sure hope they show up at your worm bowl soon.
Judy-Michigan
Judy, yeah – lots of rain, especially for July. Yes, the same thing happened to my first fledglings, the day they fledged had a terrible wind, rain storm. I’m pretty sure only 2 of the 4 fledged made it, as that is all I have seen with the parents. It has been a very hard spring this year, with all the flooding, etc. I am thankful we have a home left, compared to all the people who lost theirs.
Yes, sometimes I have a 3rd nesting – always did with a different pair of blues. But this pair usually build a 3rd nest if one completely fails, but you never know – depends on weather, etc.Congratulations Carol. Re: the messy box. I don’t think they try to keep it clean when the young are close to fledging. I may help to drive then out of the nest. Re: 4 of 5. I posted in another thread that I, too, had 4 of 5 fledge. Only I have a 5×5 NABS nest box, a bit larger than yours. I think that the 5th egg hatched a day after the first 4 and the young one was trapped under all of the others. I know now to check for all of the eggs that are in the nest after they hatch.
David
Stafford, VAThanks David & Lisa. David, I looked at the NABS website for their specs on boxes and they have decided not to give information on sizes, since everywhere may have different needs – therefore I could not get their specs & don’t believe they even have boxes available any more. My original boxes (top openers) which I used lots of years, was a 4×4″ bottom = 16 square inches. The Gilwood boxes (2) we built do not have even 15 square inches – we did make a modified Gilwood with a larger size of almost 16 square inches, which I was using for BB presentations demo. I have since these last 4 fledged put up this new, larger Gilwood box in case this pair want to have a 3rd nest (they probably will not – too hot here), but it will be ready for next season. This winter I believe we will build another Gilwood style, with at least a 18 or 20 square inch floor.
Hi Carol, was happy to read your post about your fledglings and sorry one did not make it. Wow, but that is a lot of rain. We seem to have rain almost every day, and it comes down by the bucket, but no where near to your totals.
I checked my little ones today and the box is not so clean here either. I think the parents did a much better job on the first go round.
Waiting to hear if you get a third nesting. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Connie (PA)
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