Uh oh. Well, don't lose hope. Maybe he is still around and you just haven't seen him. If not, then maybe she will find another male. It's still very early, and you have loads of chances yet. We never know how these things will go. It's different here every year. Keep us posted.~~Angie

I have not seen my Blues for over a week. There are still no bugs out and we are just starting to see bare ground (again)to where there is any nesting material to gather. I saw a TUTI that looked to be starting a nest in a tree cavity today. The HOSP has been scarce and not started a nest yet either. I hope your male is not far and comes back.

Deedee, I know how you feel! I lost about 3 FEMALE bluebirds in one season! One was dive bombed by a hawk right in front of my face! Dove out of nowhere from the sky and took off with her. Horrible thing to witness. And it was in March of last year. Infact, today I came home to see all the birds mobbed up and then saw a Cooper's hawk soar through my back yard...It's the neighbors...they feed cheap bird seed. Ugh.

Lisa, either my blues are smarter or yours are...it's in the 30's here and they're STILL around! The Swallows took off...they can't survive in this.

Anyway the season ended on a great note with 3 nests fledgling over 2 trails for a total of 10 bluebirds. Nothing amazing but I used to never have a successful nest...when I 1st started I had horrible luck. Each year has been better and more productive and everywhere you go out here there's a bluebird perched atop the powerlines.

Keep your eye out. He may still be around. If not and you have had success before, another male will come. She might hang around and wait for another male or she may leave to find a mate somewhere else. Usually it is the male who stakes claim to his territory and he brings the females back to show off what he has found for her for nesting sites. I agree with Angie. It is still very early so you will have many chances to get blues. Good luck and keep us posted.
Janet

Thanks for all your good advice I looked out this morning and Mommy BB was sitting on the nest box and Daddy was perched on my patio rail he's been missing for 3 days,haven't seen the mockingbird this morning he's been chasing my FBB all over the last 3 days but she's hung in there maybe now he'll leave her alone since the males back I'll be watching and keeping a close eye on them....my husband said I could always have my own story of "To kill a mockingbird" LOL

YAY!!!! So happy that he showed up again. You just never know with the birds. Often, my Blues will finish a nest and then seem to disappear for awhile from the yard. I always figured that they were off somewhere making fertile eggs. I have a pair of nesting Mockers in my yard right now, and I am on a campaign to establish myself as alpha before they lay their eggs. They need to know that they may not dominate my space. I hope that I am successful. I walk around them and their nest site very often and talk to them as I do so.

I have been going out for the last 4 days shooing the mockingbird which has been chasing my BB's, he's finally letting them be and sharing the yard with them...I don't know if with daddy blue coming back made a differenc or me shooing but I'm glad he's finally getting along.

Those Mockers are tough cookies deedee! I love my resident pair of Mockers, but they have built their nest smack in the midst of Grand Central Bird Station in my yard, and they are going to need to learn to share some space. So, I am going out frequently and "being" in their space. I talk to them a lot while I do this. I actually intentionally go and stand next to their nest bush in hopes of demonstrating to them that I mean no harm and will not disturb their nesting even though I will be present in the area.

The mockingbird in our yard has almost given up chasing my bluebirds, but he did it for a whole week a couple weeks ago. He'll still sit on top of the house as if he owns it, though. He's always chasing stuff.

Angie -- go for it alpha FEmale!