Guess this will end my season.

[Sassy]

After going out earlier and seeing the egg turned I was jumping for joy. At dinner time I saw that no good Chickadee checking out the front box again and then he zoomed down the side of the house. I hurried to look at the other box but didn’t see anything. After dinner we went out and I said to my husband, funny Mama isn’t in the box, usually they spend a lot of time there when they are brooding. Well we walked out and I looked in the nest and it was empty and then I looked down and there was the pierced egg on the ground.
I am so frustrated, it isn’t like the Chickadee wanted the first Bluebird box, it is still sitting there empty. I just think like some humans it is cruel and nasty.
Got a bunch of mealworms sitting here, guess unless I get a new pair I will have to feed them to some other birds at our cabin.
I do believe Mama and Papa are gone.
Wish someone knew how to deter that Chickadee. I will investigate it as best I can to see if there is a solution.
Connie

[blue diamonds]

So sorry to hear that Connie. It almost sounds like that nasty chickadee was raised by house sparrows‼️ I hope your bluebird pair come back and try again. It’s still very early in the bluebird season. I have my fingers crossed for you. Good luck. I’ll be waiting to hear some good news from you. 😊

Judy-Michigan

[Sassy]

Thank you Judy. I have no idea what is wrong with that bird. I hope my pair returns too, but it may be to the same heartache. I will keep you and the group abreast of what happens.
Thanks again.
Connie

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Sassy.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Oh, Connie, I am SO sorry about this situation for you. I have never in all my 12 years bluebirding and on this forum heard anyone say that they had trouble with chickadees. I don’t believe I have even seen one in my area. Please have faith and maybe the blues will return. Do you have just one box? Maybe if there were another box available the dees could use one and the blues another? Just a thought. Good luck – don’t give up yet.

[Sassy]

Hi Carol:
Thank you for your kind words. I actually have a total of 4 unused boxes now, and the dees don’t seem to want any of them. I know another woman said she had been Bluebirding for 25 years and never heard or saw this before, but it is real and it is happening, even someone in VA experienced it recently.
I am happy to report I saw both Mama and Papa out back this morning so all is not lost yet. Maybe they will rebuild and the Chickadee will have family of its own to occupy its time.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Connie

[dogsandbirds]

Connie, late to the discussion but I need to add that I have NEVER seen this either. I did see an EABL destroy a CACH nest once before I could get a hole reducer on the box. I guess any bird will do this kind of thing, but for the CACH to not even use the box is very strange. HOWR do this routinely and I know that from experience. They don’t always want the box either.

Gin
Atlanta, GA

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