- This topic has 40 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 2 months, 1 week ago by
.
-
Posts
-
July 2…
20 Nest boxes
10 pair nesting (1 second brood)
44 eggs (incl hatchlings, 3 abandoned)
38 hatchlings
20 fledglingsGood success. Three eggs abandoned in one nest box. Otherwise I am assuming eggs became hatchlings and eventually fledglings. I don’t think that is a poor assumption considering I don’t open the boxes and do a head count once hatched, though I admit that the fledgling number may be higher than reality.
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I’m enjoying reading about what’s happening on your trail. Curious on your tally …..does that include tree swallows and other box nesting birds? Out of all your boxes you have 10 empty? Having to manage a trail would definitely be a challenge! Keep up the great job and hopefully enjoy yourself along the way. Best wishes.
Judy – Michigan
Hi Judy, those numbers don’t include three pairs of Tree Swallows. So thirteen occupied boxes. I have other boxes not on the list and include a pair of House Wrens (7 babies fledged yesterday) and a beautiful pair of Great Crested Flycatchers which fledged five babies the other day. The Wrens and Flycatchers are not in BB nest boxes.
Really enjoying this effort and all the posts here on BBnut.
Tim C. WI/MI border.
In 20 nest boxes…
11 Nesting pairs (includes second brood with two pair)
50 eggs produced (includes three non-viable/destroyed)
42 hatchlings
38 fledglingsThings seem to be slowing down. Our “drought” is over but we still need lots of rain. Drought is a relative term and is nothing like other parts of the US and Canada are experiencing.
I attempted to raise mealworms to feed the birds but have decided that making sure they have a nearby water source is more important. Now I just need to know what to do with thousands of Darkling Beetles. The bluebirds find their way to food even in our drought. I’ve read that feeding dried mealworms is not a good idea for hatchlings. The author’s reasoning was that the moisture in the bugs is the hatchlings only source of hydration until they fledge. Dried mealworms do not provide that very important hydration.
The number of hatchlings and fledglings I report are based on laid eggs. I monitor the nests regularly but I don’t open the boxes and count and I’m not there to watch the fledgling process. It is difficult to count hatchlings when they are laying on top of one another. I refuse to open the nest boxes during laying, incubation and raising of the hatchlings. I saw a video of an expert holding a nest with four eggs he removed from a box. Then holding another nest with two hatchlings and a couple eggs. One of the hatchlings rolled out of the nest and almost fell to the ground before he picked it up and replaced it in the nest. He rambled on about his method not bothering the parents. Opening a box and removing the nest is ALMOST never necessary. But what do I know as a rookie bluebird landlord.
I use a wifi endoscope that transmits a video image to my phone (and can take stills). I peek in, try to do an assessment of the nest and move on in less than three seconds if eggs, hatchlings or an adult is present. If none of them are in the box I may take a few more seconds to peek to check nest materials, wasp nests, etc.
Done with my lecture. If you are opening and handling babies please reconsider your methods.
Tim C. WI/MI border.
July 31 and things have definitely slowed down. Out of nine nesting pairs only two pair are in the middle of a second brood.
Saturday I took a hike to my most distant trail and as we approached one of the boxes with that second brood my son-in-law noticed a female bluebird dead on the walking path. She didn’t appear to have been attacked and was fairly fresh (still a little soft belly). I was concerned that this was the mom of the box only about twenty yards away. We peeked into the box and there were three beaks staring at my camera.
Well it turns out there were four babies in there. Today I went out to watch the box for a while and what I think was a female made a couple of trips to the box while the noisy babies tweeted, twittered, sang, whatever. I forgot my binos and couldn’t really get a good look but I’ll say it was the mom.
On the way home I stopped at the other second brood box and there are four very mature looking babies in that box. So happy the breeding season here has been so successful.
Tim
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Wow, I’m impressed that you can keep up with so many BB boxes. I can barely keep up with one but my property is heavily wooded. I hate to hear something happened to a femaile BB where you were walking. Thankfully you have more more more.
Ha! Keeping up is one way to describe it!
August 2
In 20 nest boxes…
11 Nesting pairs (includes second brood with two pair)
49 eggs produced (includes three non-viable/destroyed. Last tally was off by one.)
46 hatchlings
42 fledglingsOne pair still nesting. Four hatchlings in the nest. I’m very happy with how this all turned out and will look forward to next spring.
I don’t know if I should bring all the nest boxes in for the winter. We only have migrating bluebirds here. I think it might help with less exposure to weather and some minor repairs.
Tim
Tim C. WI/MI border.
August 12…
In 20 nest boxes…
11 Nesting pairs (includes second brood with two pair)
49 eggs produced (includes three non-viable/destroyed)
46 hatchlings
46 fledglingsToday I found the last nesting pair’s hatchlings had fledged. I am going to keep monitoring for a week or two but I feel that the nesting season is over. Being a rookie bluebird landlord I don’t know if mid-August will prove to be the end. I’m really happy with the results of the first season.
I have a date to talk about my experience at our local library in early March. I’m hoping to get others interested in this effort to increase bluebirds in our community.
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I’ve removed most of my nest boxes for minor maintenance and to keep flying squirrels and woodpeckers from damaging them. I wonder if others remove the boxes they set out. I have read that in areas that having winter bluebird populations many keep the boxes available for shelter. I don’t believe we have bluebirds overwintering here (WI/MI border).
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Yes, Tim, I leave my boxes up for the bluebirds to be able to use them in the winter for shelter, as they do stay around here. I have 4 boxes up so I can remove one for maintenance if needed and then put it back up. We are still having mild weather but I believe they will stick around for the winter – I will get busy and make some peanut butter suet today which they love usually. But this might be different this winter, as the pair of blues are a different pair than usual.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.