Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
It just depends on the female and when she is ready to lay the eggs. I have ad them go from 5 days to 5 weeks. This year They built the second nest about 20 days after the first birds fledged but she didn’t lay the first egg of the second clutch until day 22. She only laid 4 eggs and is incubating them now.
Last year they built a second nest after about 3 weeks but never laid another egg. They did have nestbox competition and may have gone elsewhere for the second family.BTW you are doing pretty good without a tripod. I may have to look at another lens. That 250 looks pretty good It looks a bit sharper than my 200.
DavidDavid
Stafford, VAScot – you will enjoy using the zoom lens. You can get close without having to spook the birds. There are instructions for posting photos in the Sticky thread titled “Posting Tips for The New Bluebird Nut Cafe.” I do crop the photos about 60% prior to posting. It is not that hard to do. I look forward to seeing your work.
Bob- The training process is fun to watch if you get the opportunity. The little ones mimic the parent but then sit and wait with an open beak to be fed.
David
Stafford, VARick – that was my thought too. I am going to try to get photos as they mature if they keep coming around.
Nicole – I hope that your young ones will come back. Maybe mama bird can coax them back when she can get off the nest after the hatch.
David
David
Stafford, VAWell, I stand corrected on my last post. It is not necessary to have been trained to a mealworm feeder. Here are 2 of the young from may last fledge in May back on the shepherds hook in the yard waiting on mama bird who is in the nestbox laying a 3rd egg in the second clutch.
David
Stafford, VASorry to hear the troubles with the nests. There seems to be a lot of that happening around the forum. But your seeing that beginning of the robin hatch is just great. I have not had that opportunity.
It sounds like it cheered you up a bit. Congratulations.David
David
Stafford, VAA couple of photos this morning of the young with papa bird. Mama bird is in the nestbox.
David
Stafford, VAThanks Carol. yes it is the same pair. i am hoping that they stay around but I haave never had that happen either. More photos tomorrow
David
Stafford, VAThe bluebirds are looking for a nesting place and you have provided them with a possible location. The HOSPs will be a problem but you seem to have the potential solver already in place. Be patient. The birds know when it is time to build a nest and whether it is safe to call your nextbox home.
Good luck on your venture.David
David
Stafford, VAHow long have the birds been away? I have not heard of anyone being able to “incubate and raise” birds from the wild. This is just natures way. If the birds have been gone for more than a couple of weeks then you are going to have to start over. Clean out the nestbox of the nest and eggs and put the box back up. Then it is just “wait and see”
David
Stafford, VASorry to hear about your experience. You need to do a little preparation for the next event. You do not have to move your box higher. 6 feet will do IF the nest box is protected from predators. Many of us use either metal or PVC pipe to mount the box on and protect the box with a baffle. I have included a photo of the one I use. It is a 2 foot section of stainless stove pipe with a cap. I cut a hole in the cap to put it on the pole/ I use 2 long screws in the PVC pipe to set the baffle on to allow it to rock in case something tries to climb it. I have place several discs cut from galvanized hardware cloth that also fit inside the baffle to keep critters and snakes from trying to climb up inside the baffle. I have stuffed smaller pieces of the hardware cloth in the small gaps in the cuts made on the metal cap for protection also.
If possible your box should be away from fences and trees where squirrels, cats, and other critters could leap to the box.I hope that you are able to get another pair of BB to use your nestbox. Keep us posted on your activity.
-
This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by
.
-
This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by . Reason: wording
David
Stafford, VA -
This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by
