Shocking Find Today

[Sassy]

I was seeing Mama around the nest box quite often the last few days, and last night when we took a walk out front she flushed out of the box, so this morning I decided to check it out and discovered 2 beautiful blue eggs and she is brooding them already. Guess this is her limit for this clutch, but two is better than none.
Connie (PA)

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Wow, Connie, how exciting! Surprised she stopped at two eggs, though, but like you say, 2 is better than nothing. I do have a BB nest ready for an egg, but none yet. HOWEVER, there is one less HOSP as of 30 minutes ago when I caught a female – sure rather rid the males, but it takes two to tango!

At least we have something good to do with our extra time at home.

[Sassy]

Hi Carol:
I had a heartbreak last evening. Both eggs are gone, and Chickadees are the culprits. I wonder if that was why Mama was sitting on the eggs, not that she was done laying but trying to protect the ones that were in there.
So glad to hear you have a nest ready, and that you eliminated another HOSP, in fact it is the best news I have had all day. Keep up the good work.
Connie (PA)

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

So sorry Connie – I have never had any dees around here so don’t know their habits. Sure a shame about your two blue eggs – hope they try again. Yes, I believe your mama blue was trying to protect her eggs – amazing how bird habits mimic those of us humans when it comes to protecting their young!

[tamsea]

I’m not very familiar with dees either. Are you sure they are the culprit? That’s not normal behavior for them.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by tamsea.

Tammy

[David in Stafford,VA]

Connie, so sorry to hear this news. I would suspect HOWR over the dees. I have only had one season with dees in a box but they did not seem to be interested in the bluebirds in the other box. I hope that your female will continue with the nest.

David
Stafford, VA

[Sassy]

Tammy, I am positive they did the dirty deed. Since my experience I have seen an in-box video of the BCCH in a Bluebird box piercing the egg and removing it from the box, and have read about a few more incidences.
Connie

[Sassy]

Thanks David, but as I told Tammy, I know without a doubt it was the dees. Even after I removed the nest and put it in the box where I found the egg on the floor and placed the egg in it, the dee destroyed it too. Since Mama has built another nest and she is brooding 5 eggs.
Connie

[Sassy]

David, the last sentence should have said, “ Since then Mama has built a new nest and has 5 new eggs in it”

[Author]

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