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mspatt.
I had Mama Blue disappear two years in a row, don’t know if they went on their own accord or if something happened to them. The eggs had hatched and the babies were a pretty good size. The first batch Papa took care of by himself and I did see one fledge before we went away for a few days and when I returned they were all gone but what happened afterwards is beyond me. Last year they both disappeared and all the little one expired but one that fledged but with no parent and no rehab that would take the little one I assume it didn’t make it either. This year Mama and Papa are in constant feeding mode and thankfully they are both around. I hope you are just missing seeing Mama when she comes to feed. Keep us informed.
Connie (PA)Ouch Lisa. So sorry to hear about that ankle, and glad the blues did OK without the extra work. I know that makes you feel better to know all went well without the wren guard and Styrofoam. Our temps have been hot too and our cool down is due this weekend, along with the fledge. Take care of yourself, and congrats on the third brood.
Connie (PA)Good going David. My clutch of 6 will be fledging soon, they are hanging out of the house now. I think it is from the heat but this is day 14 so they are getting crowded and anxious for their next adventure. Great picture of Papa.
Connie (PA)Hi Carol:
I have them in a deeper container and all 5,000 in one. I think I might not have enough holes in the top or big enough ones. I noticed water on the lid when I opened it last night like it was sweating. It has that strong ammonia smell to it so I have to do something with it today. Mama and Papa just leave the dead ones in the dish and I actually have the pair trained to come when I whistle, or maybe they have me trained to whistle.
I do feed them carrots and keep them in the refrigerator but only after they eat all the carrot I have put in the container to prevent mold. There were no instructions with the container I bought but there was a piece of a cardboard egg carton in the container which I discarded. Maybe I should have left that in there.
Thanks for the info, I keep learning and learning.
Connie (PA)
Phillyblues I am so happy for you. I know the feeling when you hear or see a bluebird and you are anxiously waiting for a nest to start and more activity. Right now I have lots of activity, 6 new babies are in the box and Mama and Papa are busy trying to keep them fed. I am supplying mealworms a few times a day, but not on a continual basis since I think it is best for them to fend for themselves. This is day 13 so within 4 to 7 days I expect them to fledge. I hope I am here to see it. I also hope by now you have a Bluebird nest started and a family on the way soon.
Connie (PA)Wow Judy, that is some sight to see. Happy that the hatch is working out good so far, I shall always remember Judy from Michigan and her pink Bluebird eggs. Amazing stuff.
Connie (PA)So sorry also Renee for your loss of all 5 Prothonotary eggs. I used to think the song of the HOWR was so beautiful, but I never knew how destructive they were until I got my first Bluebird box 3 years ago and joined this group and started reading past posts and sialis.org. Now I dread hearing them. They arrive here about the same time as the Bluebirds also but there isn’t much we can do about them, but hope they do not get into the Bluebird box and cause problems.
Connie (PA)
So exciting to see the little one fed. I have the live mealworms too, they were not interested in them until the young hatched. Now they look forward to them. I have not tried mixing the dried with the live, but I might as the little ones get bigger.
Connie (PA)Carol, the heat has been turned on here too in PA. not as hot here as there, 84 degrees as of 1:21 PM and mama is incubating her eggs. Tomorrow they may start hatching. I am anxious to hear how the 2nd nesting goes. Sounds like there might be more BB’s out your way. I will be thrilled if these ones stay on for a 2nd. Guess it will depend on weather and the BB’s.
Connie (PA)Judy, I never heard of a pink BB egg, that must be cool to see. Any more eggs since and what color are they?
Connie (PA)Wow David, that is good news. I am glad some of the first nestlings are coming around. I hope I see that here too. The eggs are due to hatch this week, sometime between the 19th and 21st if I figured right. The second box got no takers, but I am happy with just this one pair. I did not think I was going to get any this year. I doubt if they do a second go round, but hey who knows, I may be lucky.
Connie (PA)Carol, yes I have the mealworms close to where the box is. I have a clear dish with them in and even tried a white one. I only put a few in at a time and today I saw Papa sitting on the clothes line T pole a lot so I put them in a dish on the cement base underneath and I think Mama might have gone down and took one, but Papa ignored it completely. After a while the worms just die. I think I will wait till the eggs hatch and then see if I have any greater success.
About the mealworm order, I wrote a bad review on Amazon last year because when they arrived and I was here to get the order (the mailman even commented on the smell and ask me if I had a lizard) half of them were dead. I got a call sometime later and the guy from Customer Service offered to send me more. I told him my Bluebirds were gone and maybe if I got a pair this year I would take him up on the offer, and I did. No perks to ordering that way, just didn’t know where to go to get them, so took a chance on Amazon.
Connie (PA)Congrats Carol, how wonderful to hear 5 new babies are winging their way into the sky. Mine are not due to hatch till sometime around the 19 of June. I am waiting to see if all 6 eggs hatch, that would be amazing. Hope your pair decides to use the box again. Not sure they would do a second nesting here, it will be the 7th of July at the earliest when they fledge but I will empty the box and see what happens at that time. Perhaps I will be lucky this year.
Connie (PA)
