Bluebird Nestwatch, Day 51

  I think, I hope, it's possible…they've hatched. Circumstantial evidence suggests hungry new nestling bluebirds, still too tiny to peep. Not 100% sure, since I can't hear them yet, but there's a lot more entering and leaving of the nest today, by both parents, at closer intervals, like every ten minutes. At least once I saw him enter when she was away, with a morsel that he prepared by smashing it on a bare branch before taking it in. Feeding babies?

But, boo-hoo, unless I've calculated wrong, this means I'll miss the fledge, as I'm scheduled to be out of town from April 27 to May 10th. Guidebooks offer different timetables, but the range for time from hatch to fledge is generally 15-21 days. If today is hatching day, then fledge day could be anytime from Apr 28-May 4. Poor timing for a trip.

Worthy trip, though. First to Boston for the New England SCBWI spring conference, then to Lansing, Michigan for one daughter's graduation, followed by a birding expedition at Indiana's Chain O' Lakes State Park.

 If I clean out the nest on return from trip, and if I'm lucky, the bluebirds will start another brood. The other two bluebird nestwatches I've conducted both ended in disappointment. One year I missed the moment of fledge for a doctor's appointment (grrr!). Another year the eggs never hatched (reason unknown), though the parents gave it a valiant effort, tending the eggs for about two weeks beyond normal hatching time before finally abandoning them.

Here's hoping 2016 will be the year. dkm

The eggs that never hatched,  May 2012 

One day after missing  the fledge, May 2011

Bluebird Nestwatch, Day 47

Notes on 47th day after observing the bluebird mating behavior, and ten days after beginning formal observations of the resulting nest for one hour/day, not always at same time:

Mating behavior observed on Feb. 23rd.
Became aware of nest building in mid-March. 

Estimated egg laying date to be sometime during the last week of March.

Began formal nestwatch on April 2, several days after they showed signs of routine nest tending, described below. 

Pretty sure she's still sitting on eggs in the house, and has been for over ten days.

Can't hear tiny chirps yet. 

Hatch expected any day now, given the two-week incubation time reported for bluebirds. 

He comes to the feeder often and visits the nest in the green house regularly to relieve her.

His visits follow a pattern.

They have an impressive tag team operation going. 

No matter the hour of observation, I see pretty much the same routine:

All will be quiet when I arrive.

Then, at least once during my hour, sometimes twice, they follow this pattern:

1. Sooner or later he arrives on a nearby perch and watches for a few minutes. No singing. Just watching. He may move around between 5 or 6 favorite watch posts (different branches, one of three tall iron tulip sculptures, the basketball goal, the hummingbird hanger, or the top frame of the backyard swing).

2. Eventually he drops to the ground, pulls out a worm, and enters the house with it, if he doesn't already have one dangling from his beak when he arrives. 

3. He stays inside for all of 2 or 3 seconds, then emerges to one of his perches. Is his purpose to feed her? Wake her? Notify her of his arrival? All of the above?

4. In less than a minute after his short visit, she emerges and flies off. 

5. He hangs around while she's gone, moving from perch to perch, ever vigilant of the environs, but doesn't enter the house. 

6. She returns after a short away. I've timed her. Never gone more than seven minutes, or less than four.

7. Once she re-enters the house, he flies off and all is quiet again, until his next visit.

8. The latest I've observed this cycle is 7:00p. Then all goes long-time quiet, presumably for the night.  

I never hear him sing, now that the period of courtship is over. Both parents tend the nest in silence. If I weren't intentionally watching for them, I might never have noticed their presence.

Silence, that is, until a squirrel approaches the house from above or below. It doesn't happen often and not for long, because Mr. Bluebird chases them off with much dive-bombing and loud clicking. Whether it happens during one of her brief absences or when she's on the nest, he's there in a flash. Obviously he doesn't stray far, even when she's home.  

They are the model of elegant dependability in their habits, these bluebirds. I should take a lesson. dkm

Click-click-click-click-click!

Found the mystery bluebird nest of last post, but not before days of watching Sir Blue work overtime chasing away squirrels. He and his girlfriend have settled in the little house on the pine trunk afterall.  I was dead wrong about their having borrowed the squirrel's nest.

She is sitting on eggs now and only comes out occasionally, looking bedraggled and small. Is it the stress of growing and laying eggs that has taken such toll on her formerly robust appearance? Sometimes she sits on the doorstep and looks out for long periods of time. Sometimes she flies to a cherry branch for a short spell away from the nest. Imagine how boring, her long ordeal. I wonder if our early summer temperatures (93F/34C degrees yesterday) will affect egg-hatching.  Seems like it might be good for eggs, but bad for mama. The box is in the shade most of the day, but it probably gets hot in there. I'd want some fresh air, too.

 No swing-side observations for awhile because the top of the swing is Sir Blue's post of choice this go-round.  Ever watchful, he sits long and alert on a variety of nearby perches, but most often on the swing.

 I've grown so fond of this little blue daddy for his noble vigilance, I call sweet words of encouragement to him from afar. Watching his valiant safeguarding of his progeny is Moe's and my newest evening entertainment from the deck. He wows us with his protective aeronautics. 

He begins each aggressive chase with a divebomb at the squirrel's head, then follows in hot pursuit after its bushy tail, till the fellow is run off.  His chasing flight is accompanied by a rapid clicking sound. I can't tell if it comes from his wings or beak or throat, but I'm thinking it's his wing feathers hitting against each other. However he clicks, it's an effective defense against squirrels four times his size. They don't stick around to argue, but they always come back.

 I don't think herbivorous squirrels pose much danger to a bluebird nest, unless they've buried nuts in there, but what Sir Blue doesn't understand is that the pinetree is one of their most direct and frequent routes to the playground in the canopy. It's going to be a long and arduous nesting round for Sir, however self-imposed.  

If the first day of divebombing was egg-laying day, and it takes two weeks to hatch, we should have new baby blues by the middle of next week, June 5th or 6th. dkm

The Morning After

We missed the fledge!  I'm heartsick.  Our baby blues took their first flight without us---sometime between 3:00p and 7:30p yesterday.  To pinpoint it more closely, I think it was between 3:00 and 4:00.

They were still in the nest box, reaching and stretching their necks out with regularity when I had to tear myself away from the swing at 3:00 to get ready for a 4:00 meeting.  Though I hoped against hope they would wait till morning, I should have known the stretching and reaching meant they were on the verge of flight---but they had been stretching like that all day, and I was still operating on my morning fledge theory, so I thought it safe to leave.  Live and learn.  

Just before driving away to the meeting (a few minutes before 4:00), I paused in the driveway for a final looksee.  Already then I saw no activity, and chalked it up to the brevity of the observation.  But now I'm sure.  After four days of vigilance, I missed the moment of fledge by a single hour.  It's hard to believe how much anticipation I had built up for seeing my baby blues take their first exhilarating flight, and how much disappointment I now feel that I let them down.

It's another example of the loveliest and most captivating feature of the natural world---that it does what it does regardless of anyone's notice.   Here are a few shots on the morning after.

Silent

Vacant

Bereft

Have a safe and beautiful life, Baby Blues!

Now, as I look back, I'm hoping the odd pattern I observed earlier of the parents flying together low and slow around the nest and in the bushes nearby, followed by the male's funny quiver and fluff dance---the  activity I thought was a series of flying lessons---now I'm hoping it might have been mating behavior instead,  and that maybe a second brood is on the way.   Hope springs eternal.  dkm 

Waiting for Fledge Day

Day 17:  Too cold to fledge, but ready, very ready.

The nestlings wait . . . 

Mama waits . . .

Papa waits . . . 

Pearl waits . . .

. . . and waits 

The photographer waits . . . 

The frogs wait . . . 

Who's that waiting?

Confederate jasmine waits . . . 

. . . and waits

           Until tomorrow . . .                                                      
                                                                                                    dkm

Noisy New Nestlings Blue

Noisy noisy noisy!  The bluebird hatchlings are growing at a rapid rate. I'm afraid to look inside for fear of scaring them into fledging early---but you should hear them when Madame or Sir arrive at their doorway with a feeding.

At first, they were silent, and the parents came and went less frequently.   On about day four, I could hear faint chirpy murmurings from inside the nest if I put my ear to it, but could hear nothing from a short distance.  Both parents took turns entering and leaving the house with morsels.  In thirty minutes they could be observed coming and going two or three times.

Now, on day 10, it's a constant parade of Madame and Sir taking turns bringing food to the door.  The nestlings must be much taller and more aggressive by now, because the parents no longer enter the house to feed them.  They only perch on the doorway,  hand off their offerings, then fly off to find more. The nestlings make such a clamor when either of their parents arrive at their doorway, I can hear them from the swing---even from the house, if the windows are open---my house, not theirs---which is maybe 50 yards away.

Thankfully, I'm not responsible for feeding these babies.  They are running their faithful parents ragged.  Occasionally I see Sir carry off a white vitamin shaped capsule, which I think is a fecal sac.  Cleaning the bathroom.  I remember watching Father Housewren do the same another year.  Even saw him swallow it once.  Probably quite nutritious.  I can see why they might have to eat the fecal sacs.  They have no time to find food for themselves, so busy are they kept feeding their demanding brood.  dkm

Will try to get a picture of the nestlings for next post---just one peek.   Must get it before Day 13, says the North American Bluebird Society.   Here's what else NABS says about monitoring bluebird nest boxes, if you're interested, but I can assure you, I'll not be handling the chicks:

WHY MONITOR YOUR NEST BOX?

It is very important that bluebird nest boxes be actively monitored (checked) at least once a week. Doing so increases the chances of success for bluebirds using the box and also is valuable for determining population trends. A box that is not monitored may be more harmful than helpful to bluebirds. All bluebird boxes should be built so that they can be opened either from the side, front, or top.

Monitoring nest boxes will alert you to problems the birds may be having with blowfly parasitism. Uncontrolled, the larvae of this species may weaken or possibly even kill the nestling bluebirds. If you identify larvae in the nest, you should replace all the nest material with dried lawn clippings in a shape similar to that of the original nest. This will increase the chance that the chicks will survive. Many bluebird enthusiasts replace all nests holding chicks periodically even before the blowfly larvae are visible. You should also replace any nest with young birds that has been saturated following rainfall. This is especially important during cold periods.

Being aware of what species is using the box is also beneficial. Bluebird societies would like you to monitor and report all species using your nest boxes, not just bluebirds. Species such as bluebirds, tree swallows, house wrens, and chickadees are all native and beneficial birds. Mail survey forms submitted at the end of the nesting season allows the identification of population trends in each species.

House (English) sparrows and European starlings are non-native species introduced from Europe and their aggressive seizure of cavity nest sites is the main reason for the rarity of bluebirds today. Starlings nest in many of the natural nest sites but can be excluded from nest boxes by only using 1 1/2 or 1 9/16 inch entrance holes. House sparrows can readily enter bluebird nest boxes and frequently kill bluebirds, destroy their eggs, or drive them from their nests. At no time should they be allowed to successfully nest in bluebird boxes. Doing so will increase the house sparrow population and further reduce the number of the bluebirds.

After any nesting effort has ended, either due to nest failure or successful fledging of the young, the nest should be removed from the box. If a bluebird nest was successful, re-nesting in the same box will be encouraged if the first nest is removed. This should be done when all chicks have left the nest.

WHAT TO MONITOR

Whenever you monitor a box you should determine what species is using it by examining the nesting material and eggs. You should record the date, and the number of eggs or young that you have observed. Knowing when the eggs where laid will help you determine if they are infertile, or when they should hatch and when the young would be expected to leave the nest. In the case of bluebirds, the eggs are laid one each day until the entire clutch is complete. Incubation will then begin and will last approximately 13-14 days. After hatching the chicks will remain in the nest for 17-18 days. Your monitoring should be limited to viewing from a distance after the 13th day or the chicks might fly from the box prematurely.

HOW TO MONITOR

Nest monitoring should only be done during calm, mild, and dry weather conditions to reduce the chance of chilling the chicks or eggs. Open the nest box being careful not to allow the eggs to fall out or chicks to jump out. Songbirds have a very poor sense of smell and will not abandon the nest due to your handling the nest, eggs, or chicks. If chicks are in the nest, look under the nest for signs of blowfly larvae. The chicks themselves should be examined for small scars, particularly under the wings which indicates blowfly parasitism. Sometimes you may observe the larvae attached to the chick. These are easily removed by hand. Complete the monitoring as quickly as possible to minimize disturbance. When handling the chicks or removing them from the nest they should be placed in something that will protect them from the sun or wind while preventing their escape. Avoid disposing used nest material near the nest site or predators may be attracted to the site. Always be certain to close the box door securely before leaving. Record what you observed.

 

My Achy Breaky Bluebird Heart

Back in my own backyard again: The bluebird box is silent. Madame & Sir Blue have gone missing. I know not what ill befell their family in my two week absence, but it most certainly was disaster. I suspect house wrens were involved. The time was not right for the bluebird nestlings to have fledged, so they could only have come to a bad end.

Here's what I do know about their timeline, some by research, some by my own observations, and some by the eye-witness reports my husband gave me via phone while I was at the bay.

Nesting Facts: In Georgia, bluebirds begin nesting behaviors in early-March. After mating, the female lays one egg a day for 4-6 days, usually by late-March. Incubation period: 13-15 days. Nestling period: 15-20 days. Two to three broods per season.

Observed timeline of this particular pair of bluebirds:

Mar 8: First sighting of male bluebird in backyard and investigating birdhouse

Mar 16: First sighting of female in and around birdhouse and birdfeeder.

Mar 19: First sign of courtship on dogwood branch

Mar 23: Observed both birds in and out of house. Female getting fatter.

Mar 28-Apr 4: Egg laying week. Fat female got thin again by end of week. Both birds seen often at feeder and in and out of birdhouse. (feeder kept filled with shelled sunflower seeds)

Apr 6-11: Now thin female seldom seen, but occasionally perched on branch near doorway of house. Male came and went from house often. She was likely egg-sitting and being fed by him.

Apr 12: More of same. I left for bay, asked Moe to watch and report.

Apr 13-18: Moe sees only the male coming and going from house.

Apr 19: Moe reports seeing both male and female flying and perching in tandem around the yard. Hatching day? Unable to see or hear anything in house. Hatchlings too small to be audible?

Apr 20: Bingo! Moe hears tiny nestling chirps inside house. Very soft chirps.

Apr 21-22: No observations made

Apr 23: No sounds from house. Moe observed a small brown house wren in and out of the house several times.

Apr 24-26: No sounds, no activity of any kind, either bluebird or wren. I returned home on 26th.

Apr 27-30: No activity. Moe confirmed that house wren was seen only that one day, on 23rd.

May 1: Today, in fear and trepidation, we opened the house to see what we could see. Nest was empty but clean, soft, fresh-looking---no sign of nestlings, no sign of shells, no sign of struggle. BUT, we observed male bluebird several times on various perches around the yard, offering hope that he may try again. Where is the female? Do they feel the grief that I feel on their behalf? dkm