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Nicole:
Yep!! The little ones flew on Monday afternoon. 2 girls and 2 boys to go with big brother from the first clutch!!I had a pair of HOWR that were attacked by a male HOSP. Took the house down and all 5 HOWR eggs were smashed and the mother killed on the nest. I trapped the HOSP next morning and executed him. The HOWR moved on thankfully. No more box on trees!
I have not opened the box for 2 days now. Mom and dad still busy feeding. Weather has been perfect for this clutch, very little rain and mid 80’s so not too hot. I just found out my neighbor has a pair in his box! He knows nothing about them so I have been monitoring his box as well. They are on about day 9 and doing well (5 in that box!) so hopefully soon there will be 9 little babies fluttering around the two yards! I expect mine to leave starting Sunday/Monday. I doubt I will get a third clutch this late in the season but I am thrilled with this year’s experience! Thanks all for the advise!!
Carol – yep!! I agree – that’s what I meant by “leave them be” – there was a rogue HOSP creeping around about an hour ago. I noticed mom and dad getting really irate – thought it was my Beagle who lumbers past the box occasionally (he normally has zero interest in the BB’s) but then noticed the male chasing a male HOSP. The HOSP landed in a near by tree. 30 seconds later he was in my sights with the pellet gun and let’s just say I took care of him!!!
After I posted this I lifted the nest gently yesterday with a small spatula. There were about 10 larvae that were under the nest so I removed them. The babes looked healthy although they were still…this morning I lifted the nest gently – no larvae – babes MUCH more active this morning. They are on Day 13. They look healthy – I’m providing copious amounts of fresh meal worms – so I think I need to just leave them be and hope for the best.
I think the eggs are no longer viable. Even if she didn’t start brooding until a couple days after laying. Could be an infertile male/female or the heat may have killed the eggs. My understanding is temps about 105/106 will spoil the eggs. I had the same issue with the first clutch, likely due to a cold spell for the first 2 eggs. They never did hatch and momma left them in the nest with the one fledgling (who I see every day now helping to feed the second clutch). It’s tough to face, but happens in nature all the time. You are just experiencing it first hand.
If it is really hot she won’t brood the eggs very much during the day. The eggs need to be 95 and above and they know when it is time. I found my second clutch momma to be off the nest more than on it. Does she fly by when you check it? You say it is on a trail so not sure how often you can check. Pretty much guaranteed very early morning she is on the nest. I doubt she abandoned – they are very committed ones eggs are laid. Do you have a Sparrow Spooker up? If not that is critical. If you know when the last egg was laid count 12-14 days beyond and that should be the first hatching. I find the female is much more visible during brooding of the eggs and the male is usually out at the club having a couple of drinks and eating like most men. He does show up when they hatch and is very active in feeding the babes!
Terrific news! Don’t be surprised if they “disappear” for a few days or even 2 weeks. Normally if they are going to have another clutch it is 2-3 weeks after to give the female chance to recover. No guarantees though BUT they will likely be back next year! Just be sure nothing else wants to nest in the box. I had a House Wren that get stuffing the first box with sticks. The Blues picked another box that now has 4 – 4 day old chicks! Congrats!! It’s such a thrill to help these beautiful songbirds isn’t it!!??
I have successfully lifted my nests with a small hamburger flipper and removed blowfly larvae. I do this every 3rd morning. Mom and Dad don’t like it but I am very careful and had success with no injury to the babes.
We live in Western PA about 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh. I have educated our neighbor to use a spooker (he lost a BB nest this year to HOSP’s and has since been educated). I also have a friend that had two ornamental type houses stacked on each other on a fence post. She got EABL’s on the bottom house. When she posted pics on FB I sent her a PM and told her to make all the necessary fixes, which she has done. Her clutch has hatched and the fledglings are about 6 days old now!
The one in question was in Central NY at my daughter’s wedding venue. I’m going to send her an email with the necessary links and hope she reads it!Well, to my surprise egg #4 was laid this morning! Must have been just after I checked at 10 AM. A little late but I will take it. Mom and Pop had no problem accepting the new, safe location and in fact I feel much better about it because it is not only away from the fence, but in full shade during mid day so it will give better protection from blazing summer sun. Mom and Dad are very active around the box this afternoon so I suspect Momma is done laying and is now brooding. Fingers crossed!!!!
I got it moved no problem this morning. Still 3 eggs so I think she will begin brooding now. I know typically they lay one less egg that the first clutch (where she had 4 with only 2 hatching and one surviving).
Momma took to it’s new location within 5 minutes!!! (Yes Nicole I do have it baffled with a stove pipe baffle!)This is a Troyer so the pole is actual 1/2″ conduit set onto rebar. I have another exact same set up with a Gilbertson so I plan to pound that rebar into the ground and then I can safely lift the current box off the existing rebar and gently slide it onto the newly relocated rebar! I will be extra careful. She has 3 eggs right now but I anticipate another egg tomorrow as she has not been on the nest all day – just around the box hunting and feeding Junior from the first fledge! I will do this around 10 tomorrow to be sure she has laid and minimal disturbance. Thanks everyone! I’m convinced to move it now!!!
