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Chris has a good idea about moving the box or adding one – I know this isn’t always possible but placement is very important.
Will be interesting to see when the first egg is laid, Rich. Have you seen the male any – he should be out teaching the youngsters how to fly and fend for themselves.
Wow, is she ever in a hurry. Guess she is leaving it up to papa blue to train the youngsters. No, I’ve never had them start a nest quite that quick. Good luck.
Philly Blues – on the contrary I have not had any sparrows bothering my nests lately – I believe they got discouraged in my yard and left to nest and raise their young elsewhere. I did eliminate several with my VanErt inbox trap earlier in the season. But they could come back at any time to try again and I’ll be ready.
Thanks for the update – I, too, whistle when I feed worms and usually the family is there in a matter of 2 or 3 minutes. The fledged juveniles have not been coming quite as often lately – parents are probably trying to “cut the strings” for them to be on their own, as they now have new babies which are 5 days old and eating worms.
Love it, Chris – way to go. Missouri’s State Bird is the bluebird and it was on all Mo. license plates for years and then they changed it – I was most upset.
Hi Courtney and welcome back! Glad your blues have gotten started. As far as photos, someone else will chime in, as I do not post pictures any more and things have changed.
Connie, yes I got the heat shield on about 3 days before my little ones hatched on Saturday (THANK GOODNESS – have had temps in lower 90’s for several days) – one was a little later in the day than the first 3. I checked this morning and they seem to be okay, ugly, naked and pretty small like usual. I will look in the box about every 2 or 3 days to be sure all is okay – don’t like to bother too much. They will be beautiful before I know it.
David & Judy – yes, I have also noticed a slack down in the blues eating all the worms up. But most was because the young juveniles were not coming as much – mama and papa showed up almost as much, but not quite the same as before. Of course, with the warmer weather, all the rain we had for a while (right not it is pretty dry) there is an increase of natural food for them (RAH, RAH). The young ones are coming around almost as often as now, so I am putting out as many as before (I have no idea how many – rule of thumb is 10 worms for each bird (that would be 7 for me) two times a day – that would be 140 worms – I probably don’t put out quite that many but close – my worms are on the small to medium size even though I feed them about every 10 days – they devour my paper thin carrots by the end of the next day.
Oh, and I have 3 new babies which hatched today with one egg left to hatch – sure am glad – weather has been very hot and dry for about 10 days or so and I am thrilled I got my heat shield on on time.
Congrats, Dana – looks like this forum has had pretty good luck this year thus far. I’m waiting to see this weekend my 2nd nesting of 4 baby blues should hatch. Have been seeing most of the 5 juveniles come at least once a day to the worm bowl. Parents will probably tell them “you’re on your own now – got more mouths to feed now” as soon as those 4 hatch this weekend. Does that sentence sound familiar to most parents with our own kids?
Chris, nice work – glad you did not picture the sparrow – no need to do that. By the way, is your box hole 1 1/2 inch diameter – it looks a lot larger – probably my new glasses.
Parents will usually start scouting for a nesting sight (or maintain the previous one) about two weeks after fledging. They will take new fledged babies out and about for 10 days or so to teach them to fly good and hunt for food, and then they will concentrate on a new nest. As far as other bluebirds in the area, they are somewhat territorial but like all creatures, the first to claim will usually win.
