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Probably not a jay because the hole would only admit the head and neck. The nest should be too far away for a jay to grab a chick. It sounds like some kind of poison affected them.
If it’s me, I would remove the nest and let them start again unless she is already adding new material.
Gin
Atlanta, GAThey are busy building today. Glad I took out the other so I know they are intent on trying again. If it was HOWR I’m surprised no sticks were added.
When wrens destroyed my BB eggs two different times, they just tossed eggs on the ground & pierced them (with claws maybe) and did not put any sticks in the nest. One egg I could even see the embryo of the baby bluebird. Will try to post picture here…….
Lisa, know what? HOWR don’t always bring in sticks. Sometimes they are just intent on raiding but I don’t think that’s what happened here. They would have tossed all the eggs initially and you would have found what Carol did.
Gin
Atlanta, GAI had the same thing happen one year. I never figured out what it was. I try not to let them soraynmy hard while the babies are newly hatched just in case that is it. Sorry. I know it’s heartbreaking.
Tammy
It was such a strange series of events…
Laid 5, then one egg missing…
Saw and photographed 3 hatchlings, one halfway out of his shell. He and shell were gone the next day. Then one hatchling dead the next day with no sign of trauma
Then my very last guy lived 5 days and was fed all day by very attentive parents. The next day he was in the nest dead with no sign of trauma.
The whole thing is so baffling.
I searched far and wide and no eggs or chicks anywhere on the ground. But of course here in Alabama there are tons of critters who would scoop them up.
They are happily building and I am just waiting for an egg to put my guards up. I was off for days and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Never seen a HOSP here. Maybe a wren but I wasn’t sure. It was in the mealworm feeder and a small brown bird.
Have tons of Thrashers but they co-exist peacefully.\\\\Hey Lisa- so glad they’re building again! Called you today, but wasn’t sure if I had right #. If you didn’t get my message, I can send you a private message on this site with my #. Thinking of you & praying all goes well this time around!
I am so sad I missed you!
OK, so one egg today. I got too nervous to put up wren guard and sparrow spooker at once so went with the sparrow spooker tonight and will put the wren guard up tomorrow if I have 2. I hope this is a logical approach. Just hated to do both at once!Lisa, rule of thumb is to put one control up at a time – then if they accept it, put the others up. I always put up spooker first because of the HOSP, and then after another egg is laid & mama accepts it okay, I put up the wren guard. Later in the heat of summer I will then put up a heat shield. You did the right thing for sure.
Lisa- Ditto to what Carol said. Sounds like a plan to make sure they’re accepting each one at a time. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, so just call me whenever it works for you. I think I left my number with you? My EABL babies hatched today (may have already mentioned that). Surprisingly, parents didn’t dive bomb me.
Nicole
Thanks Carole and Nicole! I have a strange mom this time who lays late in the day so this morning after putting up the sparrow spooker the night before I still only had one so left the wren guard off. Tonight at 10 PM I was out there with a flashlight and saw 2 eggs. So I will very nervously put up the wren guard tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed!!!!
Lisa, very strange for them to lay eggs that late – it’s usually before noon.
And sometimes they lay eggs in the late afternoon, just in time for happy hour.
Gin
Atlanta, GA
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