Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs.

We have two fledged bluebirds and four more in the same nest which are ready to fly the coop. The other five nest boxes are empty and waiting for occupation.

The Cow Pasture bluebirds which numbered six last week, are fledging. There were four bluebirds tucked into the nest against our intrusion this morning, two had already fledged. The coaxing parents were in the trees above us as we peeked into the nest box. I’ll check the nest again tomorrow to see if they’ve gone.

The Explore the Wild nest box sustained damage since our last inspection. Part of the roof was broken off and on the ground below the nest box. And, an attempt at entrance hole enlargement had taken place. The entrance hole damage looks like the results of pecking, perhaps woodpecker.

The nest inside the box was as it has been since sometime in March, built but unused.

Into the Mist has been quiet since three bluebirds fledged from the nest box in May.

The house wrens in the nest box on the east side of the parking deck fledged well over a week ago. The nest has been cleared from the box and a new berry basket installed for any late season nesters.

The partial house wren nest on the west side of the parking deck remains untouched.

Built in the early part of May, the house wren nest in the nest box at the Butterfly House hadn’t been touched since. It’s been removed and a new berry basket placed inside the box.

Fledglings, nest box damage, and preparing for potential late nesting birds are all in a naturalist’s regular routine. I’ll do a follow-up on the bluebirds at the Cow Pasture to see if they’ve all fledged. I don’t anticipate seeing them in the morning.

Typically, there’s one bluebird or house wren nest which lingers into August. If that’s going to happen this year one of our avian residents has to do something quickly. Given the amount of time it takes to built a nest, lay eggs, incubate the eggs to hatching, and finally, the longest period of time spent in the nest, to fledge is somewhere around 38 days, the birds should make there move now.

Until next week…