Bluebird Update 5.23.17

We have three nest boxes which contain house wren nests. One of those three nests shows no activity. The other two have six eggs each. The remaining three nest boxes of the six we have here at the Museum, are empty.

The house wren nest at the Cow Pasture, which held 3 eggs last week, now has six. A wren flew out of the nest box as I approached indicating the eggs are being incubated.

Three new eggs to top off this nest of six at Cow Pasture (5/23/17). Note cardinal feathers in nest.

The nest box on the service road in Explore the Wild is empty, no eggs, no nest material.

There are 6 eggs in the nest box at the site of the old Bungee Jump Exhibit. These eggs, too, were being incubated.

Six eggs at Bungee are being incubated (5/23/17). Note downy woodpecker feather, bottom left.

There is no activity at the nest box on the service road to Into the Mist Playscape.

Woodlands nest is also inactive.

The Butterfly House nest, which was converted to a house wren nest after bluebirds successively fledged three young has shown no activity for the past three weeks. It seems the wrens have moved on.

No activity for past 3 weeks at Butterfly House nest (5/23/17). Green feathers were placed by bluebirds previous to house wren occupation.

Finally, we only have two active nests, one at the Cow Pasture and one at the old Bungee site. Both of those nests contain six house wren eggs. There are four inactive nest boxes, one containing a completed house wren nest. It appears the wrens that built that nest have abandoned it.

We’ve not had a successful house wren nest since 2012 when I began to monitor and record our six nest boxes. There’ve been house wren nests built, even a clutch of eggs or two, but no house wrens have fledged from those attempts. This may be the year of the wren.

1 response to Bluebird Update 5.23.17

  1. Camp Katie says:

    It’s cool to see the different feathers used as nest liners in each of the photos. How interesting. I wonder if the green feather is from a wild bird or one of our fake, dyed chicken feathers that get used in decorations?

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