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My last group of 4 young blues fledged on July 9. I cleaned the box and put it back on the pole on the 10th after I saw the male bird setting on the shepherd’s hook. I also added some pine needles to the bottom of the box I then departed for an extended trip to St. Louis for a seminar that diverted to Lafayette, La due to the passing of my sister’s husband. We just returned and when I checked the box I found this! If she laid the last egg this morning, it means that she probably laid the first egg on Jul 18 – 9 days after the last batch fledged. She has been very busy.
David
Stafford, VADavid, your bluebirds were busy while you were away. Nice to see eggs upon your return. So sorry about the passing of your brother-in-law.
Judy-Michigan
Thanks Judy. Yes they were busy. I believe someone else posted about a quick turn-around also. It must have something to do with the weather. I expect a hatch on this brood around Aug 5-6, depending on whether she lays another egg tomorrow. It is very warm here and I am considering another layer of heat shield for both the top and sides of the nest box.
David
Stafford, VAMy turn-around was literally a day last nesting. I remember thinking that I was crazy for not cleaning the box well. Alas, I think we are done now. Three broods of five is nothing to be sad about but I will miss them terribly!
Lisa, you had an excellent season. Congratulations. One day turn-a-round would shock me also. I have really enjoyed all the action too. They leave here around September 1st. We have next season to look forward to. Winter seems to pass quickly when we are looking forward to April blues.
Judy-Michigan
Lisa, congratulations on a very successful season. It is so nice when we can put all the numbers together for our seasonal fledgings and hit the 150 -200 bird mark. Realizing that there are more enthusiasts putting more birds in the air is very satisfying for me. I think that the August 25-26 fledge for this group will give them enough time to mature to survive the winter here. My blues do not seem to migrate although it can get very cold. I clean out the box after the last fledging and put it back up when the weather turns cold for them to us for roosting.
David
Stafford, VAHey David that is great to hear about your bluebirds! Mine are working on their 3rd brood as well. Usually its just 2 broods each year. I’m super happy about them having a 3rd brood!
Hi David, read your post about the 3rd nesting, first of all congrats. Did she stop at 4 eggs or did your count go to 5?
My 2nd nesting fledged 2 weeks ago today and I am hoping they will do a third nesting here. That would be a first for me. I see the family in the AM and late PM at the mealworm feeder. They are all so adept at getting and out of the wire enclosure, it is amazing to watch.
Hope everything is going well with the
flock down your way.
Connie (PA)Lisa, I think you might have set or at least matched a record for a turn around on the 3rd nesting. It is so good to hear, congrats on that success.
Connie (PA)Connie, Dana, my pair stopped at 4. I believe the hatch will be close to Dana’s Aug 4 or 5. I have also seen the male bird with at least e and possible the 4th young flying around the trees and in my neighbors flower garden searching for bugs. I will post some photos after the hatch.
David
Stafford, VAWow! Three nests. I have only had two per year. Both my 2nd nests should fledge around mid August. In Iowa they start later because of the chilly temperatures. Last year my second nest and momma disappeared. I think it was a snake so this year I have snake netting all around the bottom. So far so good!
agp in Iowa
Agp – just curious. Is your nestbox on a pole with a baffle to protect against climbers like snakes and squirrels? Where do you attach the netting?
David
Stafford, VAYes I have two baffles a stove pipe and a cone. I never had snake netting because I thought it was safe but last year I learned that snakes can get around those. I have netting that is bunched up at the b0ttom to prevent snakes from getting around the baffles.
agp in Iowa
Surprise!!! Just checked on the box this afternoon and saw 2 hatchlings. I didn’t have my camera so when I finished my lawn and gardening work I brought my camera back to get a photo and found the third one had hatched. I guess my pair started the egg-laying a couple of days before I thought and they were actually incubating when we returned from our trip to Louisiana.
I was looking at the first picture of the 3 little ones with the egg and I noticed movement in the nest. One of the little ones looks like he is trying to incubate the last egg – trying to get that one to hatch. :)
David
Stafford, VA
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