Bird Watching: Bluebird thread # 8, 0 by 2dCousinDave

2dCousinDave wrote:
Ok, time for an update.

As you may know, the fledglings from the first nesting, that fledged April 22, are now gone. They were apparently a nuisance, continually perching on the sparrow spooker above the nestbox, calling attention to the fact that Mama had five new ones growing in there. I assume Papa ran them off. He was growing very short with them before we left for Arizona and when we got back, three days later, they were missing. Rather young to be chased off, but not unheard of.

Anyway, the big news is that yesterday the second clutch fledged successfully. Fledge day is always a big deal as I like to watch and try to capture their "leap of faith." To do this you must be dedicated and that I am.

I had reason to believe that at least one left just before dusk Monday, during our supper (the adults were fluttering about the nestbox but also were making occasional trips with worms to the tall trees behind the house). As it was growing dark another bird was doing some serious peeking and also seemed likely to go, but it grew dark.

Working on that assumption, I got up at daylight yesterday, and took up a position on the deck where I could control the mealworms and watch the nestbox. I positioned a camera on a tripod about 15 feet from the nestbox and another next to my chair. The camera nearest the nestbox was aimed at the opening of the box, set on autofocus and to rapid fire. I controlled it with a wireless remote. The camera on the tripod next to me was also set on autofocus and I controlled it from my chair with a 3 foot remote cable. I had another camera sitting next to me and two additional lenses, in case I needed them. I had extra batteries and extra CF cards. You never know how these things will develop and I tried to anticipate everything.

My DW served my breakfast and lunch on the deck and I sat there for nine hours. Lots of peeking, especially after noon, but no one fledged. Then at 3:10 p.m., one did. Almost immediately, a second one appeared in the opening, and within a matter of seconds (less than 15 seconds, literally) it also flew out. Then the third, again very quickly appeared and fledged. I had never seen such rapid succession before. All three were gone within 10 minutes. And they all flew to different trees, all at least 150 feet from the box and all perched at least 50 feet from the ground.

Almost immediately, a fourth bird appeared at the nestbox but the parents didn't seem anxious to have to have it jump. As it was perched to fly, a parent flew to it with a mouthload of mealworms and the baby withdrew into the box. It peeked out from time to time but the parents were away, apparently gathering the others to one location. Before they returned, we were hit with a tremendous rain storm that drove me and my cameras inside. It was too dark to shoot anyway, and I had to run an errand since today (Wednesday) we must go to Baltimore. (It was scheduled for yesterday, but we changed things to accomodate me and my birds). At our house Fledge Day is Priority One!

Thanks for struggling through this lengthy introduction. It probably contains typos. If so, forgive me, I will edit them later.

Dave

This morning it is still drizzling, and the parents are here for mealies and they are not flying to the nestbox, so I presume number five has left.

p.s. Before we left I did check the box and it is empty.

This message was edited Jun 4, 2008 2:55 PM