Bird Watching: Bluebird thread Number 5, 1 by 2dCousinDave

2dCousinDave wrote:
'Morning everyone. Lou, the weather here is, well, just a bit nasty. If it were a bit colder I would call it raw. Good day to be inside.

It is drizzling rain and 40 degrees. Also a good day for Mama and the babies to be inside the box. Not many insects out yet so its good the birds have the mealworms.

As of a few minutes ago, we still have one unhatched egg. I will watch it for a day or two and then remove it. If it hatches today it will probably be all right. If it were to hatch two or more days after the others it probably wouldn't survive in the nest. It's amazing how fast they mature. Just 17 or 18 days after the hatch they fly away, so you can see what even a two day advantage would mean. The more aggressive ones do get more of the food, so a bird that is a couple days behind is at a real disadvantage.

It's funny but the first day you see them peeking out of the hole, is the day they will fledge. I have a lot of pictures taken as they made their first "leap of faith", and it is remarkable how quickly some of them will go, and how hesitant some can be. They must feel a bit like young paratrooper trainees, making their first real jump. I have learned that when they are perched in the opening, and you can see their tiny feet, they are committed and will usually fly in a matter of seconds. I had one change its mind, however, started to leap, and then at the last second, held on by one foot and eventually climbed back inside the box. Quite funny to see and I managed to photograph the entire episode. It might make another drama queen type poster, Mrs Ed.

Dave

Here's Papa on a shepherd's hook, wet but still on the lookout.