Interesting happenings here . . . need question answered.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Well, as I mentioned in my thread “Worried about my fledglings”, I still have not seen these newly fledged babies at all. Yes, they COULD be out there, but I have my doubts. What is most interesting is that today I was outside tending to my flower garden chores, when I noticed my group of blues (papa, mama and 2 or 3 older juveniles) out in the back of my yard at one of my Gilwood boxes, flying around and around. Well I didn’t think much about it but before I went back to my house, I decided to look in that Gilwood box and there are beginnings of a bluebird nest in it! Not much, but there is almost a full circle of grass in the bottom of this box. Here is a mother’s instincts about this – this pair of blues had only two successful fledgings out of 4 nests, and this last one I do believe the newly fledged babies survived only about 2 weeks, and then gone. This mama bird is pining away for those baby blues and wants another nesting. Now, I am almost positive it would be too late in the season for this, so my question is, do I plug up this hole or just let them do their thing? Has anyone here in the Midwest had any eggs in September?

[dogsandbirds]

I would let them do their thing but I seriously doubt she will lay eggs. Comfort yourself with this: they don’t pine for their babies. I’m a mother and I would pine for my babies but I’m human just like you!

Gin
Atlanta, GA

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Gin, yes, I will let them do their thing – thanks.

[David in Stafford,VA]

Carol
The birds do return at times following the last nesting and do bring some materials to the box. When I put my nestbox back up after cleaning on the 3rd nesting I leave the front panel door open. It stays open until October when the weather cools down here. That way they do not try to rebuild a nest in the box. They still come to it, hop around, fly to and from the trees, just to see if the box is still here.

Relax, they will be okay.

David

David
Stafford, VA

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks David – got ya’

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