Nest Box Update 6.21.22

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’llRead more

Nest Box Update 6.14.22

Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. There’s one active nest. It should be void of birds within the week. The Cow Pasture nest box is the only one with occupants. It’s difficult to distinguish one bird from the next, crammed into the bottom of the nest, but I managed to count half a dozen birds. The six bluebird nestlings may fledge before the next nest box inspection, a week from now. The Explore the Wild and Into the Mist nest boxesRead more

Tree Swallows Fledge

Top Photo: Two young tree swallows wait at entrance hole to nest box. The nest box pictured here was installed in the wetlands during the first half of March. Though the nest box was intended for either wood ducks or hooded mergansers, by the first week of April tree swallows were actively building a nest in the spacious structure. I’m happy to say that tree swallows have now fledged from the nest as of Saturday, the fourth day of June.Read more

Nest Box Update 6.1.22

Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. There are now 6 bluebird eggs and 6 house wren nestlings occupying our nest boxes. The 6 bluebird eggs in the nest box at the Cow Pasture have yet to hatch. I saw no adults in the vicinity so I can’t determine whether the eggs are being incubated. If they are, we should see hatchlings by nest week’s inspection. As always, the nest in the box at Explore the Wild is unoccupied. There’s been noRead more

Nest Box Update 5.19.22

Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. A few days late, this report sees our bluebird trail with 9 eggs in two active nests. Three of those eggs are bluebird eggs, the rest belong to house wrens. The Cow Pasture nest now has 3 bluebird eggs. This nest box has already fledged 4 bluebirds. This, the second brood, is usually smaller in size than the first set of eggs. I don’t expect to see more eggs in this nest. The Explore theRead more

Nest Box Update 5.10.22

Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. We currently have two nests with at least some activity. One nest is definitely house wren occupied, the other seems to be bluebird. The four remaining nest boxes appear to be stalled with either “old” abandoned nests or are where nestlings have recently fledged and are waiting for new occupants. The Cow Pasture nest box had recently fledged 4 bluebirds, had been cleaned and looks to be over-going a rebuild. The rebuilders are most likelyRead more

Nest Box Update 5.3.22

Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. Since last week we have seen twelve birds fledge, eight bluebirds (two different nests) and four chickadees (one nest). Two nest boxes are occupied by house wrens and one box still has three bluebird nestlings within. The Cow Pasture bluebird nestlings have fledged. The box was lightly cleaned and a new berry basket placed inside for potential future occupants. The Explore the Wild nest box remains untouched. The nest material in the box also remains,Read more

Nest Box Update 4.26.22

Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. We have four nest boxes full of nestlings. With the rapidly growing nestlings its becoming difficult to tell just how many there are in each nest, they look like a big pile of feathers. Additionally, there has been one hostile takeover. The nest at the Cow Pasture is full of nestlings ready to fledge. It looks as though there are four nestlings in the nest. The Explore the Wild nest box is still on theRead more

Nest Box Update 4.19.22

Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. In our seventh week of nest box inspections we have about 20 nestlings, 15 of which belong to bluebirds and 5 with chickadee parents. There are 4 chickadee eggs being incubated. The Cow Pasture nest box looks to have a full house of 5 nestlings. What appears to be a big ball of feathers and flesh is a handful of individual nestlings. If you look closely you can pick out several beaks, some feet andRead more