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Apparently the boat has been there for quite some time. If you’re going to leave by boat on Friday there really isn’t anything you can do. Normally I would say transfer the nest to a box but that probably won’t work. Box to box is any easy transfer. Boom to box not so much.
This is just so sad.
Gin
Atlanta, GAI still see lots of feather sheaths so I’m guessing about 10-11 days old. That is also why I can’t tell how many males there are. You took that shot on May 18 so by now they are getting ready to fledge. I wouldn’t open the box now.
Gin
Atlanta, GAA Noel guard is supposed to work on raccoons and cats, on the theory that the raccoon’s/cat’s front leg isn’t long enough to reach the nest if one of these is on the box. They are not 100% effective but with this box where it is, it’s better than nothing.
Gin
Atlanta, GADene don’t worry about this extra female. Maybe she doesn’t have a mate and is curious. The other adults will chase her away if they feel the need.
Gin
Atlanta, GAMeg, they will visit mealworm feeders they already know. If they aren’t hunting in your yard right now, it’s going to be really hard to train them to a worm feeder.
Sorry about your wren situation. Been there and bought the t-shirt and DVD.
Gin
Atlanta, GAEvery nesting season has the capacity to be different. And just when we think we know what they will do, they change the game plan.
Gin
Atlanta, GALive and learn, Scot. Don’t beat yourself up about it. You did right since you weren’t sure.
There are a couple of other markers you can use to ID HOSP. The females have no stripes on their breast feathers. You can also closely examine the beak. HOSP have what I like to call a distinctive “kill tip” on theirs.
Gin
Atlanta, GAI leave a guard on until day 10 or so. There is really no reason to take it off earlier than that. At day 10 adults are still entering the box to feed.
Gin
Atlanta, GAEverybody, including TRES, slows down nesting activity when the food supply is scarce. Since TRES feed completely in the air, they have to wait until insects are flying. Your cool weather is probably what delayed them.
Gin
Atlanta, GAThis time of year they can be super fast. If they have been waiting for housing they will move as fast as they can.
Gin
Atlanta, GAWhen chicks first hatch, they are only fed small soft things. Think small spiders and moths. Mealworms, when they do choose to feed them, are first killed by the adults and then fed to the chicks. Later they can handle the live ones but not at first. EABL all LOVE mealworms and they will come back to them when the time is right. Dried worms are also too much for the chicks to handle right now if they are very young.
Gin
Atlanta, GANot TRES either. HOWR is the most likely culprit.
Sadly, some yards just aren’t good EABL habitat because they aren’t open enough. In a subdivision you can start out with a pretty open area. Then years go by and the vegetation grows so that things aren’t so open. HOWR are very aggressive and won’t let anything they can find nest in what they deem their territory.
All of my boxes are now blocked for the season and have been for a few weeks. I didn’t bother to take them down; I just blocked the openings so nobody can enter.
HOWR are definitely going to go back to a box if they know where the hole is. Even with a guard, the chances are not good for any other bird to succeed. I really hate that and I’m so sorry.
Gin
Atlanta, GA
