Bird Watching: Bluebird Nestlings Peeking Out, 1 by 2dCousinDave

2dCousinDave wrote:
Pandora, once they leave, they do not return. The normal routine is for the parents to take them to a remote place where they improve their flying skills and undergo survival training. During this time they generally stay put and the parents still bring food to them. After a week or so the more venturesome fledglings follow the parents. If you fed them meal worms or nuggets, the parents would keep coming to you for that and in a week to 10 days you would see the fledglings. But they would be coming for the food, not the nest box.

In your case it is likely they are looking for insects near the nest box since they are familiar with that area and not likely the fledges are in the bushes. They are probably high in a tree. Unless this was their third nesting of this season, it is also possible the female is thinking of making another nest. You should clean out the nest box if you haven't already done so.

If they fledged yesterday and one of them flew to the ground, it is possible they would look for it for an hour or so, but a day later? Not likely.

Duc, thanks for the comments. There is so much to this hosting and I am still learning too. I am always happy to share the little I have learned. Here is the step-dad, loaded and headed for the nest. They feed them about every 15 minutes now.

I worry about the chicks being so oblivious of the dangers. A little while ago I was in the yard with a camera, shooting closeup pictures of daylilies with a macro lens. As I came up to the nestbox I could see one of the nestlings had his bill stuck out several inches. I walked right up to within 3 feet and took his picture. Since I was several feet below the box, he was looking over me and apparently never realized the dangers that could come from below.

There were about a dozen house sparrows in the yard this morning. Most of them were fledglings or juveniles. Several young females flew up on the nestbox but step dad buzzed them off before they had a chance to peek inside. I think they were mostly curious. At least I hope so.

This message was edited Jun 20, 2009 11:07 PM