We’re into the eighth week of nest box inspections and we now have sixteen nestlings, twelve bluebirds and four chickadees. We also have six house wren eggs cooking.
I haven’t been able to get an accurate count of eggs in the nest at the Cow Pasture over the past few weeks due to the female’s insistence at sitting tight on those eggs when I opened the nest box for a quick look inside. Likewise, she was reluctant to leave the nest box this week.
I don’t blame her for not leaving, all of her eggs had hatched and she was protecting her young.
Our four nestlings in the nest box next to the Bungee Jump (Take Off) more nearly resemble their parents than the half-naked masses of flesh and pin feathers that they were last week. I suspect they will fledge by next week.
When I walked up to the nest box behind the Sailboat Pond an adult chickadee was peering into the entrance hole of the box.
This nest started as a chickadee nest. At one point it held 5 chickadee eggs. It was then raided by a house wren, who, after destroying the eggs, left the nest empty, never using the nest box for itself. It may again be used by chickadees. They just may try again.
The Amphimeadow nest box is doing well with four healthy bluebirds.
Another nest that was raided by a house wren, the Picnic Dome nest, has a different story unfolding than that at the Sailboat Pond nest. Here, the wren actually built a nest inside the box and it now contains six house wren eggs.
The final stop on my weekly nest box inspections is the Butterfly House nest box. Last week there were four eggs in the nest. Tuesday (5/5/15) there were four nestlings.
In summary, we now have approximately 16 nestlings (I say approximately because one or two nestlings may have been concealed beneath their nest mates). Twelve of the nestlings are bluebirds, divided equally among the Cow Pasture, Amphimeadow and Butterfly House nests.
One nest, the Bungee nest, has four chickadee nestlings which should be ready to fledge within a few days. Another nest (Picnic Dome) has six house wren eggs. There is one empty nest, the Sailboat Pond nest box.
I can’t wait to see what next week brings.
I’m so glad I found your blog! I enjoyed this post and it reminded me to check the three boxes in my own backyard. – Leah aka Ponytail
I’m glad you found the blog too!
Keep checking in, there’s much happening out here in Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind. I’ll be sure to stop by your blog thefrugalsouth.com. Who doesn’t like to save time and money!
Thanks,