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Congratulations Carol. Re: the messy box. I don’t think they try to keep it clean when the young are close to fledging. I may help to drive then out of the nest. Re: 4 of 5. I posted in another thread that I, too, had 4 of 5 fledge. Only I have a 5×5 NABS nest box, a bit larger than yours. I think that the 5th egg hatched a day after the first 4 and the young one was trapped under all of the others. I know now to check for all of the eggs that are in the nest after they hatch.
David
Stafford, VAWe fledged 4 today but no pictures. As I cleaned the box this evening I did find my 5th hatchling dead in the bottom of the nest. It must have been a late hatcher and was under all of the others in the photos. I guess being gone so long does have it’s consequences when it comes to the young birds. I never thought to move the 4 other birds to see what happened to the 5th egg. Lesson learned – account for ALL of the eggs.
Don’t know if we will have a third nesting this year but I am putting the box back up on Thursday before we leave on a 9 day trip to St. Louis.David
Stafford, VAI have found that keeping the box down has reduced the presence of the wrens. They are still around but not in the numbers as before and they do not seem to be interested in the box. I have no idea why that is.
David
Stafford, VACongratulations on the pair and start of the nest. That shot of the male in flight is excellent.
David
Stafford, VAI used a similar one about 5 or 6 years ago ( believe it had a little larger base) as a second box. Never had blues in it though. Chickadees once and wrens/HOSP the following year. Took it down and went back to the NABS.
David
Stafford, VAI can see 4 of the 5. I am not sure whether there is an egg or little one under the visible birds. I thought I counted 5 when I checked the box last night. i will go out again to put up the heat shield.
David
Stafford, VACongratulations Judy. Watch the box. I keep my box down and open for about a week after
the fledging. One or both of the parent birds usually comes back and sits on the shepherds hook. That is when I put the box back up again. Hopefully you can keep that wren away. You should start seeing the bluebirds back in a week or so if they are going to try for another nesting this year.David
Stafford, VAWe just returned from a trip to Disney World with the grandkids. I looks like the 5 eggs hatched on time and the little ones seem to be doing fine, It was raining when i went out to check on them so I did not have the camera, Will get some photos tomorrow.
David
Stafford, VACarol- I have never had any trouble with mowing at any time during the incubation and hatchings. I always start by using my weed-whacker to trim the grass around the nest box. I trim a circle with about a 4 ft radius around the box. Then I take the tractor mower to the front yard so that mama can sit with the eggs for a while. When I get to the back yard I start mowing in a diagonal on both sides of the nest box and do another circle cut around the box outside the trimmer cut. This lets me stay away from the house while I finish the mowing. Over the years I believe that this couple has become used to the mower noise as they seem to stay in or or on the box longer as I approach them.
David
Stafford, VAI, too, am sorry for your loss. As we have said before. each time we experience something like this it is tough for a few days. It is not too late for another nesting or two to happen. You can leave the feather in place for now. If the new occupant, hopefully a pair of bluebirds, does not want it, they will remove it.
Good luck on the next go around.David
Stafford, VA
Really GREAT news, Rich. Congratulations on the entire endeavor – the HOSP demise and the new BB egg. Persistence actually does pay off.David
Stafford, VA
