Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I use a MacBook Air and an iPhone, and usually the Safari browser, depending. As I say, I tried both devices and both browsers, no difference as far as EDIT on my previous posts.
Don’t spend a lot of time on this. It started as a curiosity and at this point I don’t think anything is broken.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
No biggie. I tried the usual: cleared browser data, turned off VPN, tried different browsers (Safari and Edge, both on MacBook and on iPhone). It is the same. I only see EDIT on my current post, and I assume it times out. It is only a curiosity to me.
EDIT: For Info, I just noticed there is an edit link at the bottom of the page. As a test, I clicked on the post number of one of my earlier posts and then scrolled down and clicked the EDIT link. I get the error message Sorry, you are not allowed to edit this item.. Could be a membership status thing?
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
I’ll update after the afternoon visit today. Your answer is reassuring. Fingers crossed.
The edit button, look upward in this thread at your posts. I only see REPLY and QUOTE followed by the post # on older posts. The EDIT link is right to the left of REPLY on my new posts. If you see EDIT on your older posts, I’ll try some troubleshooting (different browser, clear cache and cookies, turn off VPN …).
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
If there is a way to edit a post, I can’t figure it out. But I should clarify that I only looked in the nest box for a few seconds.
I’ve since done some reading and understand movement at this stage is very limited. I also checked with my neighbor who has been though this many times now and she didn’t seem concerned. She told me that they are good at being still and quiet. I hope that’s it.
Anyway, I’ll be visiting the nest box again tomorrow afternoon and will learn more then.
(I see the Edit link now. It must time out and disappear after a time for older posts.)
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
One hatchling as of this afternoon. There were still five unhatched eggs as of yesterday. I figure today is hatch day.
I waited as usual to observe the female leave the nest box before checking. I saw the female peeping out and then she pulled back in. The the male came to the nest box and looked in, after which the female came out and exited the nest box
I see four eggs and the one hatchling. But I don’t see any movement. I’m not sure what I should see at this point. I expected to see some movement. I’m also expecting to now see the birds frequently coming and going to feed the hatchlings.
One day at a time.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
I’ve been going by Typical Timeline for Eastern Bluebirds Nesting in Florida published by the Florida Bluebird Society. It gives a range of 13 to 16 days of incubation with an average of 14. I will be checking nearly every day, as well as watching the activity of the birds.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
The last (5th egg) was on the 2nd, I believe. I estimated the hatch date on or around the 16th, based on hatching 14 days after last egg; using 12 days would put it around three days from now.
I checked yesterday and still five eggs and all looks well as far as I can tell. I watch the nest box and wait to observe the female leave before I look inside. Sometimes I’ve seen the female peer out but not leave. The male visits occasionally and peeks inside. So, there is activity.
It is exiting.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
Five eggs total. It was 5 on the 2nd and there haven’t been any more eggs. This morning I watched and waited until I observed the female leave, then I visited the nest box. Still five.
I don’t know if it is my imagination, but I think the orange/buff color of the female’s breast is much deeper and brighter. To my eye it really stands out. She is stunning.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
The link works.
There are fewer birds at the feeder in just the couple days I tapered off the bird seed and just feed the suet nuggets with some black soldier fly larvae mixed in. Still no house sparrows. The bluebirds are still present, however, which is good.
The female seems to be incubating now. The past days were too chilly to sit on the porch and watch the nest box to see the female leave so I could check the box. However, I did see her peeping out a couple times, and I did catch her on the feeder once and watched her fly from there back to the nest box.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
@tamsea. Thanks.
I’ve been watching the nest site and I’m not seeing house sparrows. Fingers crossed. I’m trying to avoid foods that attract them. In fact, I observed the bluebirds eating the suet nuggets — still surprised seeing the little bird gulping one down — so I plan to taper off the berries and bugs mix that includes seeds, and will feed a mixture that is heavy on the suet nuggets with some dried black soldier fly larvae thrown in.
BTW On the bluebirds defending the nest site, I noticed they don’t bother the doves, finches and warblers. They also don’t come after me when I’m nearby. I asked Copilot if the bluebirds know that house sparrows are a danger and Copilot answered yes and that bluebirds will defend the nest site against them. I’m wondering if that is true.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
@tamsea Thanks. Yes, I’m in the South, Gulf Coast NW Florida.
I tried looking at the site you posted and a notification comes up that it is private. I’ll do some research.
BTW I knew the pair would defend the nest, but it is something else to observe. I saw the male chase away a Woodpecker and a Mockingbird, and he chased away a group of Starlings. He chased a Starling off into the distance. I say it is something to see because ordinarily the bluebirds are meek. They readily give way when other birds come to the feeder. And the Woodpecker arrives at the feeder like a guided missile and scatters the other birds. The Starlings are like a gang, and they’re maniacs, driving the other birds away just with their rude presence. For the bluebird it is all different right now. He didn’t even let the Woodpecker land on the feeder before he was after it.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
Four eggs now.
I watched the box this morning and observed the female arrive and then leave about 45 minutes later. I then check the box, knowing she wasn’t there, and observed the new egg.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
I was watching the nest box to see either the male or female come back, and after what must have been two or three minutes the female came out, flew 10-15 yards away, and landed on a winter-dormant American Wisteria just off the back window. She perched there for several moments and then dropped down to the ground. She poked around selecting pieces of dead grass and pine needles and then flew back to the nest box and went in.
The female spends more time in the box working on the nest than I would have expected if I had thought about it before. This happened a few more times today. I’m watching the nest box for the birds to arrive, and then she flies out.
More about the food. I watched the feeders with binoculars and observed a male taking a suet nugget. The nugget looked so big and I expected him to drop it, but he flew off with it. He was at the feeder only long enough to grab the nugget and leave, which fits with their feeder behavior I’ve observed so far. They spend more time perched on the arms of the feeder pole than they do on the feeder.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
How quick things change. Not long after I posted the above, I saw a female bluebird going back and forth to the nest box, poking around on the ground and then flying to the nest box and going inside. At one point a male was looking into the opening while the female was inside, and at another point the male was perched on the top of the box while she went inside. At another point the male flew over to the feeder and grab something, and then later he was on the ground under the feeder.
There are other male bluebirds flying about and eating from the feeder. I roughly counted about four other bluebirds at one time in additional to the male and female I mention.
Interestingly, there is a lot of activity around the feeders at this same time. In addition to the bluebirds I have a lot of house finches and a number of goldfinches, and they are coming and going from the fence and the live oaks. I noticed because it unusual to have heightened activity in the middle of the day, in my experience.
- Ira / Coastal NW Florida
