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Well, the avatar is one thing, not too big deal, but now Photobucket wants us to spend $399 a year to be able to post on forums. Has been free all the time I have used it. Granted I can see if you wanted to store hundreds of photos would be hard to do for free. But the pictures I store there only amount to about 15. I always delete after I post what I want to unless needed later. Really disappointed because I will not be able to do this.
Cari, I have no experience with moving a box (only done nest changes)- have thought seriously about it but could never find a better spot to move it to without increasing chances of predators. Those temps are indeed frightening. IF you have no heat shield on the box (do you?) I would be inclined to move the box – do you have another box mounted in a more shady area that you could just move the box and not have to move the pole too? It would need to be fairly close to where it is now so the parents will find it, or else they would need to see you move it – lot to think about here. Others need to chime in quickly, as you really need to get this done soon if at all. Good luck.
Cari, I got the same notification on e-mail – they will want you to purchase a different account to be able to post. I don’t believe I will be doing this ($399 yearly!) – maybe someone on this forum has a different photo-sharing account that is free – if so, please let us know!
Cari, don’t really know “how hot it too hot”. I do know my boxes are all in full sun and we had an extremely hot 5 or 6 days this week – one getting up to 100 degrees. Then we got a real good rain (2-3 inches here & some places flooding) and it really cooled things down the past two days. My babies are due to fledge tomorrow & had thought one was dead but later found out it was okay. I have foam insulation on the box and they seem to have survived it. Will know tomorrow for sure if all have made it, but I don’t smell anything at the box so feel there are no dead ones. What kind of “sun shade” do you have? Yes, I have thought about moving my boxes but like you, the risk of predators was greater than the heat.
They are protecting the food supply for the young ones coming up. Right now I wish my pair would do this more, as my babies will be fledging tomorrow I believe (they have been peeking all day). My previous juveniles are still coming to the worm bowl some, but I have noticed parents chasing them off some times, but not enough, as they all are eating me out of house & home. I will just have to ration the worms out more I guess. But sure is fun to watch all the activity!
Cari, so sorry, but this sounds more like just something wrong with the babies, not the heat. If they were just born on Tuesday, they would have needed their mama to “brood” them or keep them warm for a day or so. 90 degrees heat should not have affected them, and since two were gone parents probably did remove them because they were dead or had some genetic or physical deformity. Are the two live ones left still being fed or what – is your mama around still? You really need to remove the dead one if there are 2 live ones still because the decay of that dead will will draw bad things, like ants, or maggots, etc.
You did all you knew (by helping with the heat) and the best you could do. And yes, there is definitely heartbreak, but like the saying goes, joy will return.
Dlibby, yes, that is the answer – that they do not overwinter there. I had forgotten you live in the north. Sounds like you will have fun with your chickens – I was raised on a farm and remember WELL our chicken coop and my job was to gather eggs – didn’t like it because the hens would try to peck me! WAY LONG TIME AGO!
Interesting, Susan. As long as I can remember my fledglings were brought back to “home area” worm bowl within 2 weeks and then most or at least the last group stayed all winter with parents. Location must have something to do with this scenario. I really don’t get a break in feeding other than I switch to peanut butter suet during winter months. But as I have always stressed, my feeding is strictly as treats, not meant to be their main diet.
Most parents take their fledglings away right after they leave the box. That is when they train they how to eat and hunt for food. Most usually they return to their home area after about 10 days or two weeks and will then come to the worm bowl for handouts from mama & papa. At least this is my experience in the 10 seasons of bluebirding and I believe most people’s experience, AT LEAST THOSE THAT FEED MEALWORMS. I bet you will see them return after awhile. Susan, do your blues stay there for a time right after fledging, too? This is somewhat unusual but I guess they all are different. But I never see my blues right after fledging for, like I said, 10 days or more, and then parents bring them back. Maybe it depends on where you live. Keep those worms handy! Those that do not feed worms may not have the babies return home, but this is the FUN part!
YEA – checked inside box today and got all four babies to move! Their game of playing possum was very convincing yesterday, and today the only way I got them to move was with my small brush. They KNEW I was not papa or mama there with breakfast! I was prepared to take the one out but was sure hoping I didn’t need to – thank you, God. Now all they have to do is make through 5 more days – but heat this week is supposed to be little cooler than last week.
Lisa, they ARE good at “playing possum” as us oldies call it. This happened to me my 1st or 2nd year of birding, and I believe my post here was “HELP – my babies are dead”. That is when I was told about how they play dead and sure enough they were back then. Today, however, I remembered about this and took a really soft, small drawing brush & touched each one of them and 3 moved but this one did not. I will do this again tomorrow a.m. and if it doesn’t move I will pick it up & put it in something and check it out further.
Gin, thank you and that is what I needed to hear. My gut was telling me it needs to be out of the nest. I am going to check in the early morning. There was no smell in the box today so if it is dead it was just recently happened. Yes, I will definitely glove up and hope I can put it back in the box with the others! I will also be extremely careful not to disturb the others into a jumping out of the box.
Cari, thank you. Yes, I would need to remove it by tomorrow, which is day 12. Your observation is interesting – you did not have the opportunity to remove it as you were unaware it was dead. I do have that option, but don’t know whether it is wise. It is stinking hot again today, but I will probably make a decision by tomorrow morning probably.
Randy, that makes perfect “common sense”. I will ponder & try to find something along this line on Sialis.org. I am a little worried about removing it from the nest and if it is still alive, getting it back in there okay, however. But I know it needs to be removed somehow.
