[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Hi, Connie – glad to hear from you – been pretty quiet. Yes, this hobby can get expensive – that is one reason I switch ( from live mealworms) to homemade peanut butter suet from October through March, in a cage feeder. Once the blues know there is no more worms they will begin to eat the suet, along with several winter other birds, such as juncos, white-crowned sparrows and of course, HOSP. We usually have another pole away from the cage feeder (which is on our deck railing) to accommodate other larger birds, such as cardinals, bluejays, etc. but have not been able to get it up yet.
Yes, Happy and blessed Thanksgiving to everyone.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Percy, any luck with this crazy male bluebird?

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Percy, personally I have never had this matter to deal with, so can’t really help. Maybe he will be gone by next season . . . . . The only thing I can think of is taking the box down for the winter until he gets the idea. I can’t imagine a male BB chasing his mate out of their box . . . .

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Hi, Meredith – glad you have some bluebirds interested in roosting in your boxes and sounds like that is exactly what they are doing. I leave the main front 1/2″ hole open of course so they can come and go out when they want. As far as leaving the other holes (the openings at the top of the box for air vents in summer) open, I only close them up when it is very cold, as I’ve had to do in my area which can get very cold (mid-Missouri). Some people do put a second removable floor in the box for the birds to roost in, giving them some extra protection. My bluebirds usually stay in my neighbor’s close pine trees which give them some good protection.
Good luck. Spring will be here sooner than we think, hopefully.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Wow, Perry – what a great picture – glad you were able to get it posted. Looks like your worm bowl is not a caged one – do you have trouble with other birds eating there?

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Perry, don’t know the answer to your question, sorry.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks for responding Tammy & Cher – guess the fun for this season is over until next year. Hope everyone is doing well and has a good fall/winter.
P.S. hummingbirds are still hanging around but will also be gone soon.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Country Girl – sorry you did not get your 2nd nest this year – mother nature sometimes is cruel to us. Also sorry you have not been able to post your pictures yet, but I cannot help you with that. Please don’t give up for nest year – it may be completely different! Okay?

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Julie, thanks – yeah, but a great year here but I’m still waiting for the final fledging act.

We just got back from our class reunion and other visits in North Missouri. It was a small turnout but great to see those there. We just got home around 9:30 this evening, so I will be hitting the sack very quickly.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Julie, congrats on your blues fledging – that is always a relief – up to the parents now to teach them all about living in this big, blue world.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks, Dana & David – as far as numbers: Nest #1 had 4 eggs & 3 hatched (on April 11) VERY EARLY and fledged.
Nest #2 was in same location with 5 eggs that hatched & fledged.
Nest #3 in a different box had 5 eggs which all hatched & fledged (during very hot spell)
Nest #4 had 4 eggs laid during VERY bad heat spell – mama did not incubate a lot during this time and worried me very much – I put dots on two different eggs at different times to see if they were being rotated and they were. AND then yesterday August 10 they all hatched I believe (as far as I could see). I did see the parents go in and out of the box a time or two so I know babies are being fed.
When we checked this early evening I saw the babies and they were hunkered down (playing dead) so I gently touched one with a small, thin soft paint brush and it really wiggled, yes – believe they are all alive at least for now!!! I believe the count is 17 – very much a record for me.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Dana, congrats on your babies fledging & for you to experience the joy of having 3 broods to watch during the summer – yes, I would think they are done for this year.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Well, I have hopes again – checked the eggs this morning and the one I had marked had been turned, meaning mama & papa are still doing their thing by rotating – and hopefully she is on the nest in the evening time. Due to hatch next Thursday or Friday I believe.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Congrats, Chris – good news! Isn’t that fun watching the young ones beg for food from parents.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks, David – gives me some hope – I will be checking for the egg rotation tomorrow – giving them the benefit of the doubt for a couple of days, meaning just too hot but “we need to keep these eggs rotated”.

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