Bluebird Update 4.7.15

There’ve been some changes in some of the nests. Some of what were once chickadee nests are now bluebird nests and four new eggs have been deposited.

Here’s what I found on Tuesday, April 7 on my weekly inspections of the nest boxes.

The Cow Pasture nest has seen a very minor addition to the single pine needle that I found in the nest box last week, another pine needle. And the original had been moved, the spare furnishings have been rearranged.

 

 

The Cow Pasture nest last week (left) and this week (4/7/15).
The Cow Pasture nest last week (left) and this week (4/7/15).

 

Slight rearrangements have been made to the Bungee nest as well. A bit more soft material has been added to this chickadee’s nest, but still no eggs.

 

A nice cozy nest, but no eggs in the Bungee nest box (4/7/15).
A nice cozy nest, but no eggs in the Bungee nest box (4/7/15).

 

Here’s where things get interesting. The chickadees have added 3 more eggs to the two that were in the nest at the Sailboat Pond last week. I don’t know if the female is done laying and ready to begin incubating. She wasn’t sitting on the eggs when I approached the nest box, so it may be that she’s got one more egg in her before she’s ready to sit.

 

Five chickadee eggs in the Sailboat Pond nest (4/7/15).
Five chickadee eggs in the Sailboat Pond nest (4/7/15).

 

It looks as though the Amphimeadow nest box, which was started by a bluebird, worked on by a chickadee, and finished by a bluebird, is going to remain a bluebird nest. I wasn’t quite sure which way this nest would go, bluebird or chickadee. Last week the nest was sort of a mish-mash of moss and pine needles. It appears the bluebirds have now made the choice, a nice cup has been formed in the nest made from grass and pine needles, bluebird all the way.

 

Amphimeadow nest is, without a doubt, now bluebird (4/7/15).
Amphimeadow nest is, without a doubt, now bluebird (4/7/15).

 

The Picnic Dome nest, which been a bluebird’s nest from the beginning, has acquired an egg. The female flew out of the box as I approached. There’ll probably be more eggs in the box next week.

 

The Picnic Dome nest has a bluebird egg (4/7/15).
The Picnic Dome nest has a bluebird egg (4/7/15).

 

An lastly, the Butterfly House nest, which has had chickadee nest written all over it for the past two weeks has been taken over by a bluebird. I thought it strange that a chickadee would nest in this box, which has had bluebird nests in it since installation. The nest box is in an open situation more suitable to bluebirds, and sure enough, bluebirds now possess it.

 

What started as a chickadee nest is now bluebird territory at the Butterfly House (4/7/15).
What started as a chickadee nest is now bluebird territory at the Butterfly House (4/7/15).

 

Things are now back to normal. We have two established chickadee nests, one at the Bungee Jump (Take Off) and one at the Sailboat Pond. The remainder of the nest boxes, whether started by chickadees or bluebirds, are now confirmed bluebird holdings.

Two nests have eggs. One bluebird egg has been deposited in the Picnic Dome nest box, and there are currently five eggs in the chickadee nest at the Sailboat Pond.

I’m not sure what will happen at the Cow Pasture nest box. That nest box has been used by bluebirds exclusively for the last four years. There’s still time, plenty of time, so we’ll have to wait and see what develops.

See you next week.

 

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