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Hi All,
Today is day 20 for my lone survivor(The only egg that hatched out of 4). I’m waiting impatiently for him to fledge. Parents continue to feed when offered meal worms and remove fecal sacs.
Suddenly, this morning mom and dad decided to start building another nest in a woodpecker box recently inhabited by Starlings about 30 feet away in a willow tree. I’m obviously concerned they will be vulnerable to attack if they set up here. In addition, this box is much more difficult for me to monitor. And finally, I’m concerned, the nestling in the nest box at day 20 is not well, although I have no hard evidence to back that up other then what I’ve described above. The last time I was in the nest box was at day 12, and he seemed fine.
Thanks in advance.
Scot
Collegeville, PAScot, day 20 after hatching is quite a long time, but I’m sure it has happened before. 17-19 days is the norm I believe, so it is not much behind. There is not much you can do at this point except wait, especially when parents are still feeding it. As far as them beginning another nest in a not so safe box, that, too, is pretty much something you have no control of, especially if there is an actual nest began. Sure hope that lone baby flies away in a day or so! Drama for sure . . . .
Scot. You are sure of the hatching date? Give it a a few more days and then you may want to plug the hole and very careful open the box just enough where you can see in and see if he’s oK. Sometimes they get their foot caught on nesting material. It’s unusual but it has happened here. He’s probably just scared…he has no siblings to follow out of the box. If they are feeding him an removing fecal sacs it sounds good to me. So leave things be for now.
Can you plug that woodpecker box hole? If you can, plug that hole. They will easily start a new nest in the same box.Tammy
Hi Tam,
Yes, I am certain of the hatch date.
I’ve been out of state since yesterday, so my wife is on fledge watch. Still not sure if he’s gone, but his parents are building furiously in the woodpecker box.
I bought a size reducer for the woodpecker box and will be putting that on when I get home later today.
Then tomorrow, I’ll peek in the old box and see what’s what. I figured not having siblings to show him the way or force him out combined with the ung-dly cold and wet weather in the northeast may be contributing to the delayed fledge.
Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep you posted.
Scot
Collegeville, PAThe problem with letting them nest in the woodpecker box is it susceptible to raccoon and snakes. An easy quick meal. That’s why we always suggest a slick baffled pole. But that’s up to you.
Hope he leaves soon!Tammy
You can plug the hole with almost anything including a rag. Just stuff the thing in there.
Did that lone survivor fledge? I would be checking him long about now although I have had them go at a whopping 23 days.
Gin
Atlanta, GAHi Gin,
He/She fledged! I couldn’t resist checking upon returning home from 48 hours out of state, and the nest is empty. I’m bummed I missed it. Is there a chance I will see it feeding with the parents?
I checked my woodpecker box. lol and behold, they have completed a new nest in there in under 48 hours.
I cleaned the old box out, which is a standard bluebird box on a pole with a baffle, and they are now checking that out. My hope is they rebuild there, because the woodpecker box isn’t exactly safe for them, even though I just placed a 1.5 inch hole reducer with a copper cover on top.
Scot
Hi Scot-
So glad the little one fledged! There is a good chance you’ll see that baby again a couple of weeks down the road if he/she makes it through that time. My first brood fledged a few weeks ago & exactly 2 weeks later, the fledgelings were coming around with the parents to the feeder & bird fountain. Since the parents are nesting so soon again in your yard, I imagine it could be sooner. Others that have more experience could comment on what they’ve witnessed. I do hope they decide to renest in the same box & not the woodpecker box. Best of luck!
Nicole
Great news!
After sawing off limbs on the tree with the woodpecker box to try to reduce the number of sites within reach of any potential predators, and putting a hole reducer on, Mom and Pop have decided to start building a new nest in the original box, which I cleaned out last night. Maybe they were waiting for me to tidy it up for them and remove the old nest. Or maybe they just wanted to see me work my butt off to protect the nest they just made before doing the right thing.
Incidentally, the woodpecker box had a completed bluebird nest……….all in 48 hours.
Got a good laugh out of that, Scot. So very glad they’ve returned to the original box. Hope they have several hatchlings!
Nicole
Sometimes I think they just love to see us work!
Central NY
TMB StudiosUpdate….
It’s been 6 days since both nests have been completed and still no eggs anywhere.
I opened my pool, which is in close proximity to the box just yesterday.
Anyone with experience as to how long they take to start laying eggs again on round 2? I’m afraid they’ve decided on neither of the 2 nests they built and may have gone elsewhere, although I still see them around.
Scot
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