At this time in 2012 we had five empty nests and one active nest, the Cow Pasture nest. That nest was raided the very night following the nest box inspection, the eggs cleared out, I think by a raccoon.

Last year at this time we had no active nests, the last one having fledged 5 young sometime before the 9th of July.

This year we have two active nests, the Amphimeadow (AM) and Butterfly House (BFH) nests. There are four eggs in the former and four nestlings in the latter. The AM eggs should hatch any day and the BFH young should fledge by next week. I don’t expect to see either nest in the state it’s in now. Hopefully both nests will make it to the end, the birds all fledge and become active members of the local avifaunal community.

So, until next week, Happy Bluebirding!