I typically make a check of all six bluebird nest boxes on our bluebird trail on Tuesday mornings. I took time off from the Museum last week and didn’t inspect the bluebird nest boxes as I would have had I been here. In my absence, the local birds had been busy. Each of the nest boxes has been worked on to some extent. Although the boxes were installed with bluebirds in mind we often have other species using them. MostRead more
Posts tagged: #fledgling
Bluebirds!
It’s that time of year again. Bluebirds have been poking around the nest boxes on our modest bluebird trail here at the Museum, so I decided to get things ready for those azure-backed thrushes. Last week, using 8″ galvanized stove pipe (thanks Kevin), I manufactured and installed new predator guards on the three nest box poles which lacked them. I relocated one nest box due to future construction at the site. And, after receiving a supply of 1/2 pint berryRead more
Bluebird Update 7.21.15
This morning’s (7/21) check of our six bluebird nest boxes indicated that the season is at an end. There will be no further nesting this season. The three nest boxes that had nesting material within have not been added to or manipulated in any manner. A paper wasp lives in the nest box at the Sailboat Pond and an orb weaver (spider) resides at the Picnic Dome nest box. The Cow Pasture nest box produced fourRead more
Bluebird Update 7.14.15
The last of the active nests has been vacated. The three bluebirds that have been fed and protected by their parents for the past several weeks in the nest box at the Butterfly House, have fledged. They are out in the real world learning how to secure food for themselves, find shelter, and hopefully avoid predators. The only activity in any of the nest boxes is that of spiders and wasps. The paper wasp nest at the Sailboat PondRead more
Bluebird Update 7.7.15
There is currently one active bluebird nest here at the Museum. The nest at the Amphimeadow which held three nestlings last week is now empty, it’s occupants having fledged some time during the past week. The only remaining active nest is in the nest box at the Butterfly House. It contains three nestlings. They are likely to fledge by the next nest box inspection. It’s difficult to say whether the other nest boxes will host other bluebird nests, butRead more
Bluebird Update 6.30.15
It’s the end of June. We have two active bluebird nests with three nestlings each. The bluebird nest in the Amphimeadow nest box has three nestlings. They are at least ten days old, appearing to have hatched just prior to last week’s inspection of their nest box (6/23/15). Like the Amphimeadow nest, the Butterfly House nest contains three nestlings. One of its eggs did not hatch. The nest’s inhabitants appear to be six days old. They’re certainly no more than that since theyRead more
Bluebird Update 6.16.15
Since last week, there has been another bluebird nest started and one additional egg laid in an existing nest. A bluebird nest has been started in the nest box at the Cow Pasture. This nest box has already fledged four bluebirds. We’ll have to wait to see if the bluebirds finish the nest. Birds sometimes start a nest without completing them when the season is this far advanced. The nest box next to the Bungee has not been worked on forRead more
Bluebird Update 5.12.15
One nest has fledged its young, one nest will probably fledge its inhabitants this week, two nests may have to wait another week before fledging its occupants, one nest still has unhatched eggs, and one nest remains empty with no activity. The nest box at the Cow Pasture has four growing bluebirds. I’d been told a black rat snake had been seen the day before, moving in the direction of the nest box. I was apprehensive, yet confident the birdsRead more
Bluebird Update 5.5.15
We’re into the eighth week of nest box inspections and we now have sixteen nestlings, twelve bluebirds and four chickadees. We also have six house wren eggs cooking. I haven’t been able to get an accurate count of eggs in the nest at the Cow Pasture over the past few weeks due to the female’s insistence at sitting tight on those eggs when I opened the nest box for a quick look inside. Likewise, she was reluctant to leave theRead more