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Evie, things are definitely crazy this season! My first 5 eggs turned out to be no good – the pair then began another nest in different box, but have not finished it. A few days ago I removed the 5 eggs from other box but left the nice, neat nest for an emergency nest, intending to put it in the freezer. Well, now this pair is dancing back & forth between these two boxes, not laying eggs in either one, but definitely “in the mood” with all the wing-waving going on.
My thought for your boxes is to leave them alone & watch – like you say it could be a different pair. Good luck!!Tammy, no babies (OR EGGS) were ever in this newer (Gilwood) box – only the beginning nest which I posted picture of above in this thread. The first nest & 5 eggs which were laid was a failure, as the eggs were not viable and this is the box where I have the other, empty nest. Yes, we Missourians are having a very strange season. Of course, it was 48 degrees again this morning, very chilly, maybe this is why the blues are holding off.
Wow Gami – this is exactly what has happened to me. As I said the first 5 eggs were no good so after almost a week I took the eggs out but left the beautiful nest in the box. Well, this pair built the nest I posted pic of and at that time it had a nice cup in it. Since that picture it seems the nest has been disturbed because the nice cup is not there, just sort of flat, but the pair of blues are continuously on the box wing-waving but do not seem to be doing anything further to the nest. HOWEVER, they are ALSO doing the same thing to this first nest at the different box closest to our home, I guess they know this WAS their nest. Maybe they are confused and I should remove one nest?????? This is my question. As for your 2 eggs, you know they are not viable after this time and I would remove the eggs – same question would apply for the nest itself. I do like to have a spare nest for emergency. HELP here needed…….
Congrats – yes 12 days is definitely early but glad they are okay. Good luck the next 17-18 days until fledging.
Thanks, Gin – I believe you are right and I never thought about adding finer grass later to line the cup. Papa has been guarding this box most of the day and the pair of them have been on & off the box & wing-waving all day long. Thanks for responding so quickly – I get nervous when I cannot positively identify a nest. Oh, I did have a HOSP nest get built to the top of a different box before I knew it – I had been removing & trapping them at this back box all spring. When I trapped the female and began taking out the nest, there were 4 eggs in the bottom – I didn’t like this at all. But since mama is gone so are the eggs. I left trap in thinking I would get the male today but have not so far.
Well, I’m pretty sure these 5 eggs are not viable. Later this morning I saw them both at the box with eggs there – mama was going TO (not inside) the box hole and papa was fluttering around not letting her go in. They did this for quite come time. Then they both went to this other box (which I thought at first was a different female but now believe it was the same mama). After a couple of hours (they were doing lots of wing-waving) I decided to check the other box to see if she was sitting, but she was not. I touched the eggs and they were cold. I did put the trick of putting a black dot on the top of each egg and will check tomorrow to see if they are being rotated. This pair was in and out of this different box all afternoon – hope they go ahead & begin a nest, as it is getting a little late for a first nesting. This has happened 1 or 2 other times here, with all eggs not being good & parents going elsewhere. Guess they can tell. I will leave the eggs there for several days yet, just to see.
Well, the wrens are here in Missouri – DH saw one and I then heard one this past week. I put up the wren guard the very next day after the spooker went up after the 2nd egg. Now 5 eggs are being incubated. It’s amazing how that mama bird just swoops under the guard & into the box – she knows the life of those future baby birds is in her “hands”. It was a little awkward for her the 1st time but soon was very graceful about it. Keeping fingers & toes crossed until hatch day!! Hope everyone has a good season – isn’t this fun (and maybe a little stressful)!!!
Ditto to Gin’s comments. I always put up spooker after 1st egg is laid, trying to give them as much time after egg laying to see and get used to it. Then watch closely next morning when time for her to lay another egg. I truly believe the commitment to even just one egg is very strong. P.S. This applies particularly if you have HOSP around, which I do have!! (You don’t always see them until they have part of a nest built) Congats on catching some HOSP in your repeating trap, but there are probably plenty lurking around.
Okay, Okay – guess they are not so different after all. At this rate I will probably only have one nesting – oh well………
Evie, I live in mid-Missouri (the Midwest) and my blues are definitely slower this year (we have had unusual cool spell for about 2 weeks or more). They have a full nest built (no egg yet) but I saw them on another Gilwood box yesterday and today noticed I believe the makings of another blues’ nest. This is not unusual for them, as they usually build 2 or 3 nests before choosing one. I believe they are an immature pair, as my previous pair always had a nest by Mid to late March and just built one, and then went on to have two more, total of 3 each year. Maybe yours are just late. Good – luck – keep us informed. P.S. I still believe we need to teach our blues how to read the “rules” book!!
That’s awful – I just can’t imagine how these “birds” can be so vicious – if it were for food I might understand, but this is just plain mean. I am angry with my blues at this point because they won’t decide to go ahead with the nest they have completed – want to keep jumping around checking out other boxes. BUT, I love them to pieces, just like children we love all the time and don’t like at other times. Hang in there – you can’t win if you don’t try. But I can understand your frustration.
Fred, thanks – & yes this morning after church we went out to check the two Gilwood boxes I have out & the one display box. The very 1st box we made & had up last season was correct in the wire’s location – it had a BB nest early and one TRES nest later on. The other two were the 1 1/2″ opening(which is why I caught the starling I’m sure) and we were able to bend the wire down enough to get it the correct distance. My hubby was a welder by profession & uses some left-over brass braising wire, which is plenty heavy but we were indeed able to bend it just enough. Boy, you’re never too old to learn – check & recheck everything!!
