Six Bluebird Nestlings Seem Strong Enough To Survive

Having had the catastrophe about a week ago, I was anxious to see how the rest are doing.

South Side

Box 2 and Box 9 parent bluebirds seem to be still around but have not built nests in any boxes. These were the parents that lost a nestful a week ago. Perhaps they found tree holes.

Box 7 parents were both attentive and were hanging around in nearby locust trees.

The nestlings are fine though they were sleepy close to noon.

North Side

Here the Box 13 parents were both present and the nestlings were OK. I had to lift the bill of the sleepier one to get any reaction at all. Eyes half open.

Box 18 is a bit of an experiment, a new location. I checked it for swallow eggs and found a clutch. at that point the parent started dive bombing my head so locked up quickly.

Another surprise was a house wren nest in Box 17.

 Usually the males just fill up all nearby nests with sticks and the female rejects it. Here there was a nest in the corner with 6 tiny brown eggs. I had to photograph it on the ground and then put the whole assembly back in. Most bluebird hobbyists destroy wren nests. Wrens can destroy eggs in neighboring boxes. My Box 13 is not near it.

Meadowlarks will sing on boxes but do not harm any nesting birds in the box.