[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Judy, thanks for your reply. I am very sure this is same papa & mama as 1st brood, as they have been with me several years and all through the winter seasons – I know them and they know me. I will accept this as nature’s way, like Gin explained sometimes this just happens. Glad your shipment of worms from Grubco turned out good. My shipment of 10,000 was all very nice and larger than I’m used to. The birds just do not have to pick up as many as before, less work for them, (ha, Ha!

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Me too, Tammy – Tammy Happy Birthday – mentioned it in my thread about only having 1 egg hatch but need to mention it here, too. Would like to hear about your granddaughter (I believe female) and how she is taking to learning about the bluebirds.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

David, boy are you & Rich ever energetic! I don’t have any pupae in my worms, since I refrigerate them and they do not have stages of growth, especially like turning into a beetle. I do sift out most of the bedding (wheat bran) and they for sure will not eat any dead worms (black ones) and also don’t eat any of the bedding left. I admire you for trying this undertaking – it is just not for me. Hope you have lots of luck.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Gin, again thanks for all the info. Yes.this morning 6 days after first hatch we went out & looked – had 3 unhatched eggs still & only one baby. Parents must have removed one egg or it is deep in nest. I put the eggs in a padded container (did see a small dark area on one) & candled them in the dark with a pin light – saw nothing there. So holding my breath I broke open one egg and nothing but liquid, also the other two. Sad news, but like you said that lone baby is getting plenty of attention and is good size and lots of room to move around. Papa blue sure keeps close watch on it. There is always something to learn each year and it is so good to have this forum to discuss all happenings, good and bad. Thanks to Cher & other sponsors, etc.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TAMMY – WHERE ARE YOU KEEPING YOURSELF? Love to hear how that grandchild is doing and learning about birds.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Philly Blues, there is a chance for 2nd nesting yet – I have had a 3rd nesting before in mid-July. Depends of weather, situation, etc. Good luck & congrats on your good luck with the Van Ert.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Well, went out to check again with the top of box opened – still SEE 3 unhatched eggs but only one baby, who seems to be alive – other egg is probably buried in nest or underneath baby. Will wait until Wednesday (one week from 1st hatch) to check & do something about the eggs. I could accept this better if I had a clue to why eggs didn’t hatch. Only thing I can think of when we mow grass she comes off the nest – but we are careful to be quick to get out of that area swiftly but maybe she was off the eggs too long some time.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Well, update on unhatched eggs – looked this morning and only saw 2 unhatched eggs but could not see very well and think there was just still one baby. The other eggs may be buried deep in the nest. I am going to check again tonight and open the top of the box so I can see better – my box is a front opener and was just pulling the door down to check. (We put a hinge on the top of the box with screw ties to we could open it when wanted -our homemade Gilwood boxes are all this way)

Keeping my toes & fingers crossed – mama and papa are still around the box – anytime I go near the box papa shows up & mama will fly out- but have not seen them bring any food to the box but it is at the back of our yard – I keep eye out with binoculars quite a bit. For sure I have decided I will wait a full week before I even think about checking the eggs to see if viable.

P.S. My new shipment of mealworms are larger than normal and this may be why they have not brought any to this new baby yet.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Good job – you probably got the pair (female & male) that was committed to that box – if you got the female first then the male would still hang around looking for another mate. Do you already have another pair claiming the box where you set the trap? I usually wait until there is some nesting material before setting the trap, but everybody does what works for them. Also usually wait until there is a pair hanging around the box – I find this is the very best time to set trap.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

David, no it is 4 unhatched eggs – I just was so upset didn’t know what I was saying I guess. Windstorm going on right now so won’t be checking until tomorrow.

Just noticed your other post – glad to see you have that 2nd nesting with 1st egg in it! Thanks for all the photos.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Gin, it is so good to hear from you – been missing you. Thanks for this information – I knew I didn’t want to do anything with the 3 unhatched eggs for another 2 or 3 days – I’m still hoping they will hatch. I really didn’t know they could vary 3 or 4 days of each other – yes, they were laid one each day for 5 days and she began incubating right away. I couldn’t remember about how to candle the eggs and about one part being darker than the other – don’t ever remember this. But will sure keep this in my records. Gin, think the heat would anything to do with this situation? Like I said I do have a heat shield the box and has good ventilation, but no shade whatsoever.

David, also thank you for your information, also. I really needed help on this matter. I wouldn’t be too concerned if it were just one egg left, but 4 was really upsetting me. Judy, thank for your concern, also.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Meg, there is a “baffle” which is supposed to be good against snakes – fits right underneath the box and wobbles. See the website http://www.sialis.org for great into on this under predator. I haven’t had trouble with snakes but many do and the first thing NOT to do is attach your box to anything wooden like a wooden post, fence post, etc., which a snake can just climb right up. Needs to be mounted on anything steel or slick. But keep in mind that nothing is foolproof. My brother in Georgia actually witnessed a snake eating his baby bluebirds – he did not have a baffle under the box but was very quick in installing one.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Julie, this CATCH TWO at once is really quite rare – I set several traps in a season and in 13 years only had it happen about 5 times. Someone else here had this experience – don’t remember who.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Yup, just went out to check the trap and it was tripped – not l but 2 HOSP, the male & female. I don’t know exactly how this can happen, but I have had this happen about 5 times now. I really don’t enjoy this part of bluebirding, but I know it must be done – if we cannot or unable to protect our bluebirds we truthfully should not invite them to our yards by putting up a box. But sometimes things just need to be adjusted as best we can.

Your area sounds exactly like mine – rural subdivision with lots mostly 2 acres (some 1 acre) and we have 5 acres total, but only use about 2 acres for yard. About 12 homes with nicely mowed yards, etc. Glad you have egg #3. Hope everything turns out well, Judy.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Judy, congrats on your first fledging and VERY quickly built new nest and eggs. Yes, TRES are very beautiful and nice to watch, but you also need to watch your head as you said. I had them here 2 or 3 years in a row but they had a failure (all 5 babies died in box believe due to mites) and they haven’t been back. Yes, the wrens can be kept busy putting in sticks all the time – keeps them away from our other nestings, most of the time. I have just set my sparrow trap as the nest was getting tall – probably catch him this morning in less than 30 minutes. Bluebird 2nd nesters due to hatch tomorrow.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

philyblues, I have no answer to your question – just don’t know, but guess anything is possible. I am curious – did you have a sparrow spooker on this box?

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