Well, once again the BB's returned to the box near my house. I've had them in there every year since I put it up about 7 years ago. Question: Does the same family return to this box or is it just that bluebirds are nearby and see this and find it a desirable place to nest?
Here's a shot of them back in 2006. The box is about 10 feet or so from my house :)
Congratulations on your BB returning! Your pic is adorable and hope to see many more from you! You are fortunate to have a set up that is close enough to get great shots like the above. This is my first year of Bluebirding so I am clueless, however 2nd Cousin Dave has several threads on this forum and there is some wonderful info, stories and photos on the threads. I have learned a lot from them and they are a great read. Hope to see more of your pics and hear your stories!!
That is a wonderful shot!
Looking forward to more!
Thanks to both of you :) I'm hoping I can get some more good photos of them his year. I got lucky in 2006 since they were anxious to feed their babies, they didn't seem to mind me being around as much. They don't usually hang out for photos like this.
I'm so excited for you! I'm in Buffalo, NY. No sign of bbs in my neighborhood yet. My understanding is that they will try to return to the same house they were hatched in. Last year was my first year, and a pair successfully hatched 4 eggs. I have two boxes ready to put out.
I'm probably a bit late to be asking this now, but I'm really, really wanting to attract bluebirds this year. I'm in zone 6(b), its' still pretty cold at times, and was just wondering if it is too late to put up a bluebird house. Hopefully not!!
Thanks much for your advice!!!
I doubt it's too late. But I'm not expert. All I can say is the ones I have seen in my box just started building the nest maybe 1 or 2 weeks ago. There's lot of info online about what type of box to put up and how to position it, etc...so do some checking if you don't already know all that. There's lots of good info out there.
Thanks Hczone. I know exactly which birdhouse I want to get from Wildbirds Unlimited, where I'm going to put it and all that good stuff. :) It seems every weekend I've planned on going to get the birdhouse, something has come up, and I know I'm running out of time.
I've only been in my house for 4 years and have not seen any bluebirds the time I've been there. :( And, after talking to some neighbors, they've never seen any either, and they have been there for quite some time. But, there's always that chance, and the area is perfect for bluebirds -- a HUGE field behind my house (it's actually a rock quarry with a large berm that surrounds it) a field across the street from the front of my house, a cemetery that backs into part of the street, and a golf course maybe 1/4 mile down the road. So, we're in a great area, they just need to find us!!
Good luck. Fortunately I see lots of bluebirds around here. Not just around my house, but around the neighborhood and so on. The only issue I have to deal with is the stupid sparrows that sometimes try to or succeed in taking over the box. If I see them building a nest, I rip it out. But usually the bluebirds don't come back and nest in this box if the sparrows bother it too much. I try to leave up some of the dead black locust trees in the field since I've seen lots of holes in them and those can be used by bluebirds and more. I guess the woodpeckers make the holes and other birds use the holes later.
Congratulations on getting the BBs to nest at your house, hczone6. I look forward to lots of good photos this year! (-:
We have our nest box up but no takers yet. We are hopeful though, although this is our first year to have the boxes up in our yard and we haven't seen many bluebirds around here.
Indiana lily-- FYR here is the link for Sialis with lots of FAQs to peruse. http://www.sialis.org/
From what I have read on their forum it is not too late at all to put up boxes. The BBs will have two or three broods from now until summertime and they often change nest boxes.
I put up my first box last spring after a pair of bbs spent a couple weeks investigating the houses in our courtyard inhabited by sparrows. After a lot of bickering amongst the sparrows and bbs, I moved the box into the meadow surrounding our school, but near our building. The bbs nested immediately, and laid 5 beautiful eggs. This was the second week in June! Four hatched and fledged. While the entire family stayed around into September, that was the only clutch.
I'm hoping they will return. I have two boxes this year.
Once we moved the bb box away from the sparrows' source of food (bird feeder) the sparrows ignored the bbs. I'm excited to know they are nesting already in the Cincinnati area. Maybe only a couple weeks until I see them. Whee!
Oh. Thanks Tabasco for the bb link.
Hi Indiana Lily - No, it isn't too late to put your bb box up - even if you "miss" the first nesting, you'll be ready for the second!
HCZone, any eggs yet?
No bbs here yet......maybe in the next week or two...
No eggs. Looks like the nest is done though. The box got a little wet inside but it looks like they are still hanging out. I think I have the box fixed so the rain can't get in now. We've had some driving rain the last week or so. I think I may replace this box after this year.
Finished nest = PROGRESS! Excellent!
If the nest gets too wet, you can replace it with dried grass - particularly if there are hatched babies - as a wet nest can literally chill the babies to death. It can get pretty nerve-wracking, can't it??? I was cleaning out my bb boxes on my cemetery trail & thought I heard a bluebird then immediately panicked, thinking: it's too cold! Fly south! No insects! Wait a couple weeks!!! I have to keep telling myself that they know what they are doing. ; )
Congrats, Muddylou!
I did put my bluebird house up on Wednesday. I also bought some live mealy worms and have them close to the bluebird house too. Neither have ben touched, but I know it's just a matter of time -- if at all. No one has seen a bluebird here, so I'm taking a chance with all of this. :)
Best of luck Indiana! I had never seen a bb in our neighborhood when I put up my first box.......I was STUNNED when they showed up! I hope that happens for you. They are sooooooo gorgeous - and wait until you hear their call - also beautiful.
Thanks Muddy!
The fact that you had not seen any bluebirds before you put up your bluebird house gives me even more hope! They've got to be around! :)
Fingers crossed! Please let us know the SECOND you get tenants! And from your description of your property, you WILL.
Could we have a recap of who's got tenants and eggs? Besides Dave, that is???
Hi Mrs. Ed! I still have 6 eggs but don't know if I saw that pair today! I checked the nestbox and no Mama in it!! ;0(
The reason I checked was I saw all this Bluebird action thinking it was the original pair then I noticed there was at least one male and two females. The females appeared to be fighting and one of them was hopping around rather than flying. I tried to keep track of both of them but the last I saw the hopping one was in the middle of the road and then crossed over to the other side. I couldn't find her and don't know what the heck is going on. Grrr...so frustrating! The nestbox was empty for at least 3 hours and I don't know if that was her or not. I will have to check in the morning and see if the pair is in and around the box. There was also another male involved but I did not witness him fighting.
I took pictures and there is definately 2 pairs and a lot of wing waving going on manic style!! Whew...they wore me out trying to figure it all out. I just hope the box hasn't been abandoned.
I will check in the morning and let you all know if I can figure it all out!
Oh I hope everythings okay Rose!
That almost sounds like Daves situation w/ his original Mama.
That's what I was thinking but there is another male involved . The new male has some white feathering on his right shoulder that the other male doesn't have. They were going in and out of all the nestboxes so we will see what happens. I could also tell the females apart. One of them wasn't as colorful and I think she must be older. I will post some pics tomorrow and hopefully drive all of you crazy too! Sigh.....
I sure did think you had all those eggs but I could not remember. Oh geez, I sure hope that they make it. *fingers crossed*
Thanks Mrs Ed...I will be checking the nestbox in a little while. The young couple is back and are in and out of another nestbox and the Female just landed right outside the window and grabbed a worm (out of the ground)!
Rose, how many days has it been?
Mrs. Ed...she laid her 6th egg a week ago today. I am going out now to check things out and get my chores done. When I return I will post some pics of Old Mama, New Hussy and the two Males involved. Maybe someone can help solve what is going on...this is turning into a B rated soap opera!
LOL. New hussy!
As usual, you have brought a smile to my face.
Some advice please.....
I had 6 bluebids hanging around for most of the winter eating suet and peanut hearts.....first time ever and I have been here on Cape Cod for a long time. My husband made 4 boxes in hopes that one pair might decide to stay. He put them up 2 weeks ago and the group went down to 1 male and 2 females. It was kind of confusing as the male seemed to be house hunting with both....one pair would check out the box and the other female would be 50' feet or so away. After almost a week of this, all three disappeared. I clearly saw them putting material in two of the boxes. Any ideas about what happened? I am SOOO disappointed after all of those months of enjoying them daily!!
Sacarvounis...If there is one thing I learned this year it is nothing is certain with the BB's! I've seen them put nesting material in every nestbox and not use it. Your's may still come back when they are ready to really get down to business. I also seem to have more females than males and witnessed another battle this evening between two of them. If you haven't seen this sight http://www.sialis.org/ I highly recommend reading it. It has some great info on the BB's...good luck attracting them.
Hi Sacarvounis - my bluebirds always disappear right after they have chosen a box. I view it the honeymoon phase. Then they return & immediately start nest-building. So I wouldn't worry too much. FYI, they also disappear with their fledglings right after the babies fledge, then reappear a week to 10 days later. Go figure. MuddyLou
Thanks, muddylou.....this is my first go 'round with bluebirds and don't know what to expect. I hope that they DO come back....our whole family has thoroughly enjoyed having them around!
Welcome to DG, sacarvounis! Sorry to hear your BBs are being so elusive at the moment and I hope they come back soon. In the meantime we look forward to hearing more about your birdy visitors.
You don't have house sparrows or cowbirds hanging around your nest boxes do you? Sometimes this will put them off.
I'm still putting out the meal worms even though my box has the chickadee nest in it. I don't know if the box is active or not--I haven't seen any visitors to it in the past few days...but then the box is not really in view of my windows, either...(not really a good place for my box, is it?)
Thanks, Tabasco! No, I don't have house sparrows around and have never seen cowbirds in my area. I know we are in their range but I haven't seen them...thank goodness. But I have been careful through the winters here to not put out cheap seed. I only feed niger, peanut hearts, black sunflower and suet and it attracts all of the birds that I like. I am also the only diner in my neighborhood (small subdivision of three streets) and that helps, too. I am sad about the bluebirds though; they were here for so long. I am still putting the meal worms out where they were taking them (much to the dellight of everybody else!) in hopes that they decide to come back. I DO however, have a lot of other wonderful birds still hanging around and the hummers will be back soon. I have my Carolina wren pair that have lived here for some time. They nest behind my shed and have become quite tame. We re-arranged some of the junk back there in the fall and they perched on the nearby fence closely supervising my husband (he is their favorite!). I also have a pair of red bellieds that I hope will stay. They are surprisingly tolerant of activity in the yard and will come to the deck feeder if I am outside. And there are the usual chickadees, titmice, downys, goldfinch & mourning doves. I am so envious of everyones great photos! I have a good 35mm but don't have the "close up" lens that I'm sure that I need to get such good pictures. But I see everyones pictures and I am getting inspired. My family already thinks that I have gone off the deep end with the bluebirds this winter not to mention the gardening....the reason why I joined here in the first place!
i was going to start a thread for my question but i will just ask here on this very fun and informative thread.
do i need to clean the nest boxes out each year? i have 3 houses on our property and all had bluebirds last year. this year the birds are back but i'm wondering if i should have cleaned the houses so they could make fresh nests. i haven't seen the birds going to any of the boxes but they might be and i'm assuming they are since i'm seeing them at the birdbath, etc.
any thoughts?
Hi track, Yes they should be cleaned out each year. You might want to check the Sialis sight for information about cleaning them.
http://sialis.org/
don't have the "close up" lens that I'm sure that I need to get such good pictures.
thank you. i will check this site as soon as i get a minute! i think it's too late this year though. i was able to spend time outside today and they are housekeeping already.
trackinsand:
I clean out my nestbox after each group fledges. If you leave the old nest in place, the BBs will build anonther nest on top and the eggs and babies in the new nest will be that much closer to the opening, and as such, closer to the reach of predators. The old box may contain wasp nests or other things so its good to take a close look at it each time.
I take my box down within hours after they fledge, scrub the insides with a toothbrush and a diluted solution of bleach, let it dry thoroughly and put it right back up. As someone on this thread said previously, when they fledge, the parents take the fledges to a remote location for a week or so where they teach them the basics of survival. During this time my adults come back to my feeder for mealworms and in a week or so, the fledges will follow them, first to a nearby tree and ultimately, in a day or so, right to the feeder where they will often wait for an adult to come feed them. In a short time one of the extraverts will struggle to get into the wire cage feeder, as he has seen Papa do, then all of them will. A very fun time for me to watch.
The female will probably break away and build a second or third nest, often while the male is still running the survival school. When she starts her second brood, Papa has all of the baby sitting responsibilities. If the fledges beg from her she will ignore them or give them that "go ask your father" look. Papa will continue to feed them until they are about 40 to 45 days old. After that, when they beg, he may fly straight at them, making them dodge. They soon stop begging.
I leave my nestbox up all winter too. Since my BBs stay year round, they seem to like knowing their house is there. They perch on it every day, go inside a few times, and just hang around, especially in the morning when there is a lot of bird traffic in the yard. Then they usually leave until late afternoon or the following morning. This continues all winter, so I am able to get pics of them literally every day, in the heat of the summer but in the ice and the snow too.
Dave
This message was edited Apr 13, 2008 11:14 PM
dave, thank you for such wonderfully informative info. i have them here year round also and i have noticed that they do indeed hang out around the box all year. i also noticed last year that one morning they were all perched on the wires in the yard and then all flew off in a northerly direction. they were gone about a week, as you said. i will clean the nest boxes at least this fall after they are done. i don't always know when there are birds in the houses. we have a big field and the boxes are out in the middle. i don't ever see the babies until they are all gathered on the phone/electric lines.
