A Successful Bluebird Hatch!
Two years ago, we hung a couple bluebird boxes that year as part of a New Year’s Resolution to create a more hospitable yard. One was hung in the front yard on an Elm tree, and one was hung in the back yard on the blackberry trellis. I documented the efforts of a bluebird pair which ultimately ended in the death of all the babies. After the failed attempt by the bluebirds, a family of House Wrens succeeded in the box on the trellis. The next year (2018), there was a succession of nesting attempts. Bluebirds inspected it for a few days before being chased off by chickadees who took it over. Soon after they built a nest, aggressive House Wrens showed interest in the box. I quickly ordered a new birdhouse, and the wrens moved in the same day it was hung. Both the chickadees and wrens had successful hatchings!
This Spring, a chickadee pair started a nest in the box on the trellis. There was a nice layer of moss one morning, and the next morning there was a new nest of pine straw on top. This time, Eastern Bluebirds chased away the chickadees. Soon, a pair of House Wrens were bickering with the bluebirds and not using the wren box at the other end of the trellis, so I ran to State Employees Credit Union to purchase two more bluebird houses. I hung one along the nature trail on an Elm and the other on a dogwood next to the shed in a location where wrens had successfully nested before. They quickly moved into the dogwood box.
The bluebirds laid two eggs, and during one of the checks I made, one egg had been pierced and the other was crushed on the ground outside the box.
I figured a competitor was trying to take over the box, so hung a little shield down over the hole so that the bluebirds could still fly in, but others would not be able to see in. The female bluebird laid three more eggs, but they never hatched. Once I saw that they were building a new nest in the box in the front yard, I candled the three eggs and could see that they had indeed been fertilized but at some point had stopped growing.
Fortunately, the bluebirds wasted no time in building a new nest and laying a new clutch. I didn’t use the flap on this birdhouse since there seemed to be no competition. By May 10, the first egg was laid, and by May 14, the bluebirds had a full clutch of four eggs. Two weeks later, all four hatched. Seventeen days after the hatch, all had fledged.
I missed seeing the first three babies take their first leap from the nest, but I camped out near the birdhouse to see the last one take its first flight. It was timid and would perch in the hole and bob a little before going back into the nest. The parents alternated by checking on their other three babies and waiting for this one to come with them. When it finally flew, I caught the flight on my phone! It flew just over my shoulder and landed near the air conditioning unit.
As I reached down to see if it would perch on my finger, it landed on the side of the unit just as it turned on. I carefully took it off the air conditioner and let it sit on my hand before it flew off to the tree where its parents were waiting. It was such as special experience to witness and be a part of.
