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David, yes, lucky this storm did no damage to our actual home, although we have not gotten on the roof to check that yet.
By the way, tell your deer to tell our deer (of course via electronics) that they need to stay out of our yard. They have actually ventured now into our actual front yard and eaten some of my flowers there, as well as along the garden in the back area! Pretty, yes, but mostly a big pest.
Jamie, yes, we learn the hard way some times AFTER the fact. Definitely very hot today, my lone BB baby in the nest by himself is due to fledge Saturday, but he has grown so fast he may fly the coop tomorrow to get out of the heat. Hope all yours make it out okay. Where are you located, Jamie?
Cool pictures, David, as usual. Aren’t those hummers amazing? We do have some goldfinches here but I do not have any seed feeders out. I have seen the Baltimore Oriole a few times at the nectar feeder again this year.
One reason we do not have seed feeders out now is because we have a next-door neighbor who has chickens (5 I think), which love to trot over to our yard and scratch for any seeds on the ground, AS WELL AS then going into our flower and vegetable garden and scratching around and chewing on things. We had to resort to putting chicken-wire around my perennial garden to keep them out. About 1/2 of our vegetable garden has 6′ high fence around it to keep out the deer but still about 1/2 of the garden is not fenced off yet and therefore available to these critters.
We found something else the storm left – apparently lightning hit our huge oak tree close to our house, knocked the bark off one dead limb to the ground then the strike went to the ground and left some big holes around the tree trunk – thought at first it was a critter digging, but the holes are too big and deep and it blew dirt from these holes about 15 foot. We are just so lucky it did not actually hit the house and start a fire – God was looking out after us. Sorry for the mixed up, long post.
Agree with David’s thoughts, Gardensongs. The male will not incubate eggs (would be very unusual anyway). If you are very sure the female is gone this would be the thing to do. You should have predator guards in place once an egg or two is laid, for protection. Sounds like something climbed the pole and got the eggs. Slick poles (no wood) are the best and the wobbling stovepipe baffle works great as well. Good luck. Yes, papa will find a new mate and go on – sometimes it doesn’t take them any time either.
Thanks again, David – and Jamie yes, they usually like bugs and natural foods, especially berries. My juveniles were probably stuffing themselves on something else. I noticed this evening when parents were here for worms that they were not with them again. I do have a service berry tree and also a crab apple tree, but do not usually see any birds on these. I am probably missing them but never have seen anything eat from them. Oh well . . . . .
P.S. We had a lightning strike around our house this morning and knocked out some phones, my internet modem, and just found out our outside well pump was hit, as we had no outside well water which I use for flowers, birdbaths, etc. A storm, small hail & lightening were very threatening and we may still be finding things which it hit. My son happened to have a spare modem and put it on tonight so now I can be “surfing the net” again.Well, they heard my cry about being lonely – they were back this morning at the worm bowl. Thanks, David, for your encouragement, you were right.
Judy, very interesting – since your post here and my response I have not seen my juveniles much the past couple days – this morning only mama and papa came to eat and I had to put the rest of the worms away (or HOSP will show up there). Either there is plenty of natural food or parents have discouraged them from the worm bowl – my lone baby still has about 5 or 6 days before fledging.
David, your group act pretty much like mine – even about not reading the rule books!
Judy, this thing about new fledgings will vary from area to area, bird to bird I believe. Mine will come to worm bowl after two weeks or sooner – depending on lots of variations, such as natural food, parents and their new nestings, etc. Sometimes they all come at once and other times, in groups, but are all done in 10 minutes or less. I have 4 juveniles and both parents eating worms right now two times a day, and papa blue takes my lone new nestling a few worms to his “private” box (other 4 eggs did not hatch). And yes, the parents will sometimes run off the older juveniles when new babies are about to hatch. My birds usually do hang around though. I did have 5 hatch 1st nesting but only have 4 juveniles eating – one probably did not make it, which is not unusual. Have you trained them to your whistle or voice when you put the worms out? Mine come right away, knowing that sound means “yum, yum, fresh worms.” Good luck on 2nd hesting.
Welcome, Jamie – that is exactly what I do – watch the box which he has or is claiming closely – I usually wait until he has a mate and then set the trap for sure. Works 99.9% of the time to get him first. This year in another post here (about 4-5 weeks ago) I told about catching a pair of HOSP at one time in my Gilwood box. Can’t figure out how this happens, but have done this about 4 or 5 times over my 12 years bluebirding.
Julie, I always leave one of the tubes open (without bee guard) so other birds can get the nectar, and even the hummers will drink from this spot sometimes. Yes, the Orioles have no trouble getting the sweet nectar.
I always have Baltimore (and sometimes Orchard) Orioles some to my hummer feeders. They are just beautiful to watch at a nectar feeder, so calm compared to the hummingbirds. Never tried the jelly because my feeders are hanging from my house deck handrails and would draw ants too bad (I keep them out of the hummer feeders with a mote on the top of feeder). Out in the yard on a Shepard hook or something would work fine for the jelly – heard lots of people do this. Enjoy!
Yes, this lone baby is thriving – getting lots of attention from Papa especially and is now 8 days old and very good size. Thanks everyone for the concerns & ideas.
Well, girls, this is part of our learning experience – not a pleasant one. I, too, had this happen one year I had TRES nest. I just opened up the box and all babies were dead (had a bad odor). When I pulled out the nest there were mites all over my arms, as did my hubby. Yuk! The previous year was the 1st time had TRES nest and they all fledged okay and did not have this mite problem). I read somewhere when they have a failure they do do not return to same area. Julie, use the bleach tip for the box, rinse well and let it dry. Sevin powder or low-level (o.03% – 0.1%) of Pyrethrin under the nest (I do not use any of these things) is suggested, or even do a nest change. There is a whole chapter on TRES on the http://www.sialis.org website (under TRES/problems). Weather probably has something to do with the mite problem.
Good to hear from you, Renee. Wow, you really do have a lot going on in your yard. I have mostly HOSP, wrens, bluebirds and other non-cavity nesting birds. And the blues are what I cater to. Also love to feed and watch the hummingbirds Good luck the rest of the season.
P.S. I do like to watch the doves – they are so calm to me compared to other birds.
