Posted by
gregdodge

Bluebird Update 3.29.16

Ranger Kristen checks out the nest box at Cow Pasture.
Ranger Kristen checks out the nest box at Cow Pasture.

We’ve been so busy here at the Museum, visitation wise, I’ve not been able to get out this posting until now. I was able to inspect all of the nest boxes as usual on Tuesday morning and here’s the results.

Here we go.

As of Tuesday (3/29) all nest boxes were active in one way or another. But, there have only been four eggs deposited in the nest, three chickadee eggs and one bluebird egg, the Bungee nest and the Woodland nest, respectively.

The Cow Pasture nest (Train Tunnel) looks to be complete, although it still awaits eggs. It’s a bluebird nest built on top of a chickadee nest.

A bluebird nest atop a chickadee nest at the Cow pasture (3/29/16).
A bluebird nest atop a chickadee nest at the Cow pasture (3/29/16).

Moving over to the Bungee Jump nest, the chickadees that started this nest have completed it and have laid three tiny eggs. I suspect there’ll be one or two more eggs by next week.

So far, three eggs at the chickadee nest at Bungee Jump (3/29/16).
So far, three eggs at the chickadee nest at Bungee Jump (3/29/16).

Across the path at the Sailboat Pond nest, which was a complete nest last week, I found one broken chickadee egg. As I looked into the nest I could hear the buzz of a bumble deep within the moss that makes up the bulk of the nest. A bumble bee had taken over the nest. This kind of take-over occurred last year as well. At that time, I evicted the bee to give the birds another chance but the nest never recovered.

I also noticed that there were ants under the nest. I cleared out the bee, wiped away the ants, but I may have to relocate this box as it seems it’s very attractive to bees, wasps, and other hymenoptera. I’ll give it one more week and make a decision then as to whether or not to relocate.

Sailboat Pond nest. Note the white object on the right side of nest, the broken egg (3/29/16).
Sailboat Pond nest. Note the white object on the right side of nest, the broken egg (3/29/16).
The egg.
The egg.

The Amphimeadow nest box has traditionally been used by bluebirds. It was started by a chickadee, and so far still appears to be all chickadee. No eggs yet.

No eggs yet at the Amphimeadow nest.
No eggs yet at the Amphimeadow nest.

Next on the tour is the Woodland nest box. It was started by a pair of bluebirds and remains so. The female has so far laid one egg in the nest.

A single egg at the Woodland nest (3/29/16).
A single egg at the Woodland nest (3/29/16).

And finally, the Butterfly House nest box. Here I found a completed bluebird nest, sans eggs. We will probably see several bright blue eggs by this time next week.

A completed nest but so far no eggs at the Butterfly House nest (3/29/16).
A completed nest but so far no eggs at the Butterfly House nest (3/29/16).

So, there you have it. All of our nests have been occupied to some degree. One, the Sailboat Pond nest is the only nest that has had a setback, having an egg broken and an insect take-over. One nest now holds three chickadee eggs (Bungee) and another, one bluebird egg (Woodlands).

I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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