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I was all set. Today was supposed to be fledge day. Boys home from school. Daughter visiting from NYC. French toast & applewood smoked bacon for brunch. Everyone was certainly ready for the five nestlings to head out of the box and into the beech tree. Mama and papa blue were in complete agreement. They barely fed the babies, did not enter the box once, and spent the entire day calling to them and singing on nearby branches. At 6:30PM the babies started passing fecal sacs out to the parents, as if to say, “if you’re not going to feed us, could you at least help us straighten up, in here?”… I laughed so hard, I cried. My daughter announced, “I’m going back to New York”. My wife went to the gym.
We’ll try again, tomorrow…Randy
Bedford, New HampshireRandy, I can’t wait to hear about tomorrow! I just pray that you don’t oversleep like I did and wake up to a sad, flattened nest!!!
No way! No way! Those spoiled little brats! Next thing you know they’ll want a pizza delivery and the remote for the tv.
Gin
Atlanta, GAGin, day #19 today. One of the five is peeking at all times, so we’re close, but mama and papa have re-doubled their feeding and cleaning efforts. They stopped calling for them on day #17, and seemed to just accept the fact that they weren’t coming out for awhile. I feel like the chamber maid… “housekeeping!… I need to make up the room…”
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireI once had them go at a whopping 23 days. That was bizarre but it can happen. The box was an absolute mess that time.
Gin
Atlanta, GAOh goodness Randy, that is so funny. They say a watch pot never boils and I guess a watch BB house never fledges.
Keep us informed.
Connie (PA)
Today was a very good day! All five of my nestlings have fledged, and I was able to observe them all take flight! It didn’t start out so well, this morning, but I learned a great deal in the process. At 6:30AM mama and papa blue were calling loudly for the babies to fledge; it was obvious. Twenty minutes into the back and forth between parents and nestlings, the Cooper’s Hawk lands right on top of the nest box! He only lasted about 30 seconds before they had successfully chased him off, but now I think I understand why it took 20 days in the box for my babies to fledge. On day 17, the parents were calling to the babies, as they were again this morning. They abruptly stopped, and went back to the feeding and cleaning routine, for two straight days without trying to entice the nestlings to fledge. My hunch is that the hawk was nearby, and I did not see him. Mama and papa blue did. I think they allowed the nestlings to stay inside the box for safety’s sake. When they emerged this afternoon, the hawk was nowhere to be found, and the fledglings were downright athletic in the air! They all fledged within 90 seconds! Now I am blessed with the unqualified joy of listening to non-stop bluebird family chatter among the trees! They all seem so happy… as am I!
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireGreat Randy – Hope I am that happy in about 12-13 days when mine fledge. Makes all that worrying during egg laying, hatching, etc., worthwhile, doesn’t it? Now it is relax and enjoy them time!
Thank you, Carol! I am rooting for you and your blues! Keep us updated, okay?
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireHappy day. Congratulations Randy. I have never had so much fun waiting for a group of birds to fledge as I have waiting (and reading) about yours.
David
Stafford, VAVery kind of you, David. Thank you! I have certainly appreciated everyone’s advice and support. Like I said, it was a very good day. Today, I rehabbed the nest box, made some improvements, and put it back out on the pole. More because it is part of our property, than trying to rush the next nesting. My wife and I were working out in the yard all day, and at one point, all 7 members of the bluebird family were together, drinking from the puddles created in the street by the over-spray of the irrigation system. I was on my tractor, and didn’t have my phone, but it was a very nice reminder of why we do all that we do for these spectacular birds.
Randy
Bedford, New Hampshire
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