Congratulations. There is nothing that makes the heart go pitter-patter like seeing your first Blues of the season. They sure can make us smile.

Hi Sarah I have managed a major trail here in RI for over 20 years. I have had box's placed like yours close to the edge of the woods and the bluebirds have avoided them for years. As soon as the box was moved to a more open area in the yard i got bluebirds. Never place more than 1 box if you do than the other box is used to trap sparrows. If you with three box's allow tree swallows and bluebirds to nest side by side they will both fight off any sparrows if house wrens use that box they will return and if you have bluebirds in that box they will toss the chicks out. Dont allow wrens to use that box. And move into the green grass area in the wide open. ---Ray

Two things, from my perspective: With regard to feeding bluebirds during nesting season, I would do this only in emergencies such as extended periods of cold, wet weather when insects are scarce. Bluebirds love "junk food" too, and providing a diet of mealworms or suet can encourage them, especially females, to become calcium deficient. Not good, especially at a time of year when their bodies are expending so much during egg-laying. Bet has posted info on this at sialis.org-see link below. The second is a reminder that your nestboxes should be mounted on metal conduit with a predator baffle. Someone may have said this already, but I didn't see it. I hope everyone has a safe and productive nesting season! Kathy Here is a link that might be useful: Supplementing Calcium

lydia2pin, did the nest still have a nice neat cup or was it flatten but clean? I have had a nesting of four bluebirds one year that while the nest no longer had the nice cup shape it does when it is first built, it was clean as a whistle. I have never seen such a neat nest before that or since then but it does happen. If your nest was flattened and cleaned then the babies probably fledged however if it was a nest still with a nice deep cup, chances are like Lisa said it failed. Hard to say for sure though. Like Lisa also said sialis.org has tons of info on offering nestboxes to Blues and other cavity nesters, with info on how and when to monitor to prevent problems and help the birds. Good luck! Donna