New Box / proximity / same pair?

13 years ago

Hello. Was great to read new Posts. I see that we're not the only ones behind this year. We're zone 6b/7a northern VA - just yesterday seeing the forsythia in full bloom - what a Spring this has been!

Background: 3 acres, outer suburban country, we're probably 6 miles from the nearest parking lot. Last year our first year w/2 boxes, and 1 box had 2 clutches Blues (Chickadees in the other). We had a group of 5 or so mixed male & female Blues all winter moving around the area.
Some pair of Blues have been defending the Original box since early Feb, around same time we noticed a HOSP, so put up mono filament - haven't seen it back. They began building a week or so ago, and today we see a completed nest in this box. We're keeping close eye.

This year we wanted to add a third box, which we just completed this past weekend. It is a diagonal (on 3 acres, recall) location on the lot with our house between - no sight line between the two, and about 400-450 feet distance, we guess - however the primary birdbath is visible from both.

Anyway, we put up the new Box this weekend, and in 20 minutes it is being aggressively defended by a Blue (poor Chickadee!). We have seen now BOTH boxes being defended by Blues, and a pair also hovering around the new box. Today we see that there's nesting in the Original box. We're not sure if 3 acres can support TWO pair or not.
Would the pair from the Original box also defend the New box, do you think?

All that for one question. Your thoughts appreciated!

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Comments (4)

sagrinin
13 years ago
I had a box with 4 eggs. A hawk got the female but I kept the eggs there in hopes that another pair would adopt . Have another pair but they are not Interested in adopting those eggs and are building a nest in another box. The males defends the box with the eggs as well as the other one.
wwwonderwhiskers
Original Author
13 years ago
Since I've posted this yesterday early, last evening we positively ID'd TWO different Blue pairs in the yard - then watched through binoculars as they all four positioned themselves in front of the new box, and the males proceeded to fight!!! Yikes!! Went out later and did not see any feathers, so I think it wasn't a horrible battle, but it concerns me.
Hope they settle down into their respective boxes soon!!
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Windmillman
13 years ago
If you had blues and chickadees at the same time I would like to know how far apart they were. I had Chickadees move into the box on the end of my trail but nobody is sure how close the two will tolerate each other. I think I have chickadees from looking at the nest but I've only seen one bird and she came in so fast I didn't get a good look. That bird didn't land and then go into the box but came in and flew through the entrance at full speed. Looked like the way the bird entered she probably bumped her head on the back of the box.
ohsoblue77
13 years ago
Wonderwiskers, I have two nestbox pairs here at home and they've been paired for at least 3 years.

For the first time, we also have TWO pairs! My guess is the distance is AT LEAST 100 yards, though it can seem smaller. They are aligned facing all the same way but they're offset a tiny bit and trees cut off some of the view.

I heard singing between the two pairs, and one box has egg laying going and the other one the pair just finished their nest. Only 1 other season did I have two pairs, however it was at another trail I monitor.

I also have Tree Swallows which nest in the nestbox pairs. The boxes are 20 ft from each other.

We'll see how this plays out, but so far I haven't witnessed any fights. Just heard loud singing, likely calling their territories out to each other.

Good luck!

~Tim
NE OHIO

New Box / proximity / same pair?

Comments (4)

sagrinin

wwwonderwhiskers
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New Box / proximity / same pair?

Comments (4)

sagrinin

wwwonderwhiskersOriginal Author

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wwwonderwhiskers
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