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Julie that’s great news about the eggs!! And I totally agree with you about the world feels right when the bluebirds are around. I have them in my side yard, the nest box faces an open field which is kept mowed. I love watching them build their nest and raise their young each year. It helps take one’s mind off of all the negative stuff going on in the world…that song by Bill Withers “Lovely Day” is a good song to listen to. I recommend it!
– Dana
Hi stebet,
There’s been starlings that have done that with my nest box. Mostly when the bluebirds were in the process of nest building. Both bluebirds would attack the starling and drive it away. In your case I would make sure the nest is not built too high near the entrance hole to keep the starling from being able to reach in or harm the baby bluebirds. You can do this by removing some of the nesting material from the bottom of the nest or by using a deeper nest box.
Dana
Possibly genetics? Or depending on the weather – for example on sunny days the blue color is brilliant and vibrant. On cloudy rainy days the blue can appear duller not as vibrant.
Dana
Carol, that wren must have OCD. Haha!! So glad the baby blues are visiting your feeder. It’s fun watching them trying to figure out how to use a bird bath too. And congrats on the 2nd nest with 5 eggs! Mine just fledged today!
– Dana
Clangley,
Your best bet would be to move the nest box away from being close to the pool and to another part of your yard if possible. Preferably an open area where there is plenty of sunlight.
– Dana
This is great news! So glad a pair finally came and used your nest box, David! That happened to me one year. It was the middle of May until a bluebird pair came and used my nest box for their 1st brood.
Love the pictures! Again congrats!
– Dana
BTW, congrats on the 2nd nest and eggs! Hopefully mama bluebird will be fine with the wren guard up. My bluebird babies are about 12 days old now. We had 3 days of cold and steady rain and I was a little worried about them. I kept my mealworm feeder stocked with mealworms and watched as the adult bluebirds went back and forth feeding them. I checked on the babies yesterday afternoon when we finally had some sunshine and all three of them are good. What a relief! If all continues to go well they are due to fledge sometime this coming weekend.
– Dana
Carol you had me cracking up over the wren – you removing the sticks and the crazy wren putting them back in. I’m picturing this. I know how they are. Whatever it takes to keep the little bugger busy is great. haha! They don’t call them bird-brained for nothing.
– Dana
I agree with Carol. It’s too risky to move the nest and eggs. Not sure what you can do at this point especially if the female is incubating. Does Gin, one of the moderators, still come online anyone know? She may know what to do.
Wishing the best to you Madelyn,
– DanaCailla,
Have you tried opening the top/lid of the box to look inside if it won’t open from the front or sides? You have to be able to look inside the box to check on the babies and see what’s going on. It sounds like one of the babies has fledged already. No telling what happened to the other babies unless you or somebody else can look inside. I’m so sorry this happened to you on your 1st time putting up a nest box. Try and have someone help you place a predator guard on the pole to try and help deter snakes. Snakes will swallow an entire brood of babies one by one if they get inside the box. It sounds like the one baby fledged successfully before the snake struck.
– Dana
Carol I do that also. I will remove the unhatched egg after a few days for 2 reasons. One being it takes up some of the space the growing babies need to develop unless it gets pushed down in the nest. And 2nd like you mentioned you don’t want the egg to be broken as it will attract predators, mainly ants, flies, etc.
