Janie you have quite the mystery going on there! I think bluejay is a good guess for several reasons: 1. They aren't fussy about nesting sites, so they wouldn't object to a hanging basket. 2. They will use the nests of other birds 3. They will eat eggs of other birds 4. Their eggs are a shade of blue The cardinal couple may build another nest nearby, especially if they discover you are providing one of their favorite foods (what type of feeder are you using? They prefer to eat on a flat surface like a tray (or the ground), not on the perch-style feeders). They have a couple broods a year I think. They love safflower seeds too, which are more $$$ but the squirrels hate them, so if squirrels are a problem, spending more on safflower seeds might make sense (unless you have chipmunks, who love safflower! LOL!) There must be lots of egg ID sites out there, but I'm including a link to one I've used (I didn't see a bluejay egg at first glance, but it might be there someplace). Patti Here is a link that might be useful: Egg IDs

Hey Lisa, knees still creeking even the bionic one!! :) I've been watching out for the 'little brown birds' who made things difficult in past years. All 4 bluebird chicks fledged yesterday afternoon: one before 6pm, one at 6:10, another 6:20 and the last 6:30!!! I watch all but the first one. The chickadee's nest is FILLED with dog fur that I'd hung out. There are 6 eggs there. Also found 4 House Finch hatchlings this morning and one unhatched egg. The other fern has 5 eggs yet to hatch. That Mama was a day behind laying the eggs. We've got a Brown Headed Nuthatch in a hole in a dead tree. Wish I could see way up there!! It's been a great early Spring. Bluebird blessings, Linda... Acworth, NW Georgia

Thanks Ladies...... Cat - I don't think the judge would have really listened to both sides if the claims BM made did not seem so outrageous and DH and I had not been collecting all of the information we did. BM in this case really took it way to far with the false allegations.... she claimed DH's entire family and myself and daughter were all against and abusing SD..... Of course the worse things were pointed against myself. But we had tons of things to counter as well..... pictures, dvd's of family events and vacations we took SD on, and the other things BM left as a paper trail.... letters from the school, daycares and doctor. It was extremely stressful to have to go through a BM trying to take away joint custody from my DH simply because he got married and to see all the lies and allegations.... BUT like the judge said - because DH got on that stand and said he did not want to take custody away from BM - he just wanted to have a peaceful relationship with his daughter and was willing to give BM another shot at trying to be mature - the judge as she put it is giving BM "custody probabtion" and hopefully BM will take her words to heart. We have been so much more peaceful at our home - and just to see SD be more peaceful when we pick her up or when she comes - lets us know that maybe the alienation for now has ceased. I just am hoping the situation remains peaceful for now - and this story may help someone else out in some kind of way.

Good afternoon! It is possible that you are simply witnessing territorial display behavior from Mr. Bluebird. Mrs. Bluebird is on the nest, he sees his reflection in the window, and wants the "competing" male out of his territory. I have a flock of 22 BBs that spend all day, every day, at my feeding station throughout the winter. They get along fine, until about March 1st; now the males fight, continuously. Both nest boxes on the property are already claimed, but the homemade "crumble" at the feeder keeps all of them around, so the battles rage on. (I am all the way up in NH)