Lots of nestlings plus one nest with 4 eggs

The timetable of Bluebirds and probably swallows needs some 12-14 days of incubation. Incubation may not have started immediately when 4 eggs were in the box. In an older blog entry I outlined the timetable:
TIMETABLE for BLUEBIRDS (<<--link)

Quick summary: 17-18 days from hatching to leaving nest box.

SWALLOWS

The swallows are still busy around their boxes, and I did not disturb them at all. You can conclude a lot about nest boxes with binoculars. One nest on the South side had been claimed by tree swallows on May 6th or before, and only now do they have nestlings (some 5-7) that hatched. I went up to the box and half way expected it to be empty, since no swallows attacked me.

The I phone did not focus enough but I can count at least 7. Other swallows were less advanced. This box started later so I am thinking it is still just eggs. Female inside and male on bush nearby:

There will be some 60 swallows fledged in about 2 weeks.


BLUEBIRDS

On the South side, we have Box 11 coming along:

These have pin feathers so they have a week or more to go.

Box 9 is most advanced, and if I check them Jun 8, I may see them gone:

Box 4 has just two nestlings, coming along fine.

The chicks were all sleeping. Here are some begging chicks from last year:

I would get more of that at about 10AM, less again after noon. Lastly, the 4 eggs from the North side this year. The female was in the box incubating seconds before I checked it. With these 4 counted in, we would get 14 bluebirds. Most years we get 20, so I expect there are some late nesters around.

This male on the North side has been around boxes 16 and 17, and both are available, with grass nests inside. No eggs today.