Hi Sara, You are definitely in a sticky situation. I would be hesitant to remove the wren sticks or leave the box open unless you installed a wren guard. More information can be found at the link below. Can you put up a third box for the blues? If not I would install the wren guard on the TRES box and leave the wren box open and see what happens. Are the boxes located near lots of trees? Maybe you could move it out in the open more away from trees. I believe a wren was the culprit for removing nearly all the eggs from my chickadee box for no known reason at all. The third TRES is probably another male searching for a cavity to nest in. I have witnessed multiple TRES come to a box to help other TRES when they are in distress like a HOSP fighting with them. They gang up on enemies sometimes which is cool. Please read below on the wren guard. I just found that forum recently. Do this first and then check back here for others advice. Good luck! http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/topic/5332/How-to-make-a-Wren-Guard

I looked it up on Sialis Lisa. It is 14-15 days. The blues starved because the evening before, even though it was 70 degrees, the parents weren't feeding very much at all. I knew this because opon opening the box all the nestlings heads raised up and were chirping loudly. The next day the weather turned for the worst, as described above, and actually I fed bluebird nuggets and waxworms in a tray on the ground. The worms diappeared so I assume the parents were just feeding themselves. The nestlings were about 3 - 6 days old. And actually If you follow me on the forums a lot you would know that I had 3 different pairs successfully raise nestlings last year. My boxes here are in my next door neighbor's field which is very open. Yes, I have lost plenty of birds. I'd like to say it's bad luck but IDK. Also the next property over lives a man who came from the city and landscapes his yard and sprays for dandelions. I got lucky last year when he sprayed during an active nest. Thought my blues were goners. Not much I can do about it. It's the best area in the neighborhood...you go else where and get problems with HOWR, HOSP, etc. 1 neighbor has a huge field but it's too far for me to monitor. It is straight back from my property. I want my blues nesting close to the house...not having to travel large distances. Somehow I lost 3 female bluebirds last season. I've never lost a male (knock on wood) so either female bluebirds don't know how to defend themselves or the male isn't watching his mate. Bluebirds in general don't seem to have what it takes to survive...they take forever to build in the spring and sometimes are away for days. They waste a lot of time. I've never had the luxury of time for a third brood. Something always messes it up. And this year, I think it will be because of how long the blues waited...they got back 1st but were beaten to box choices by the TRES.

Im so sorry to hear this....it has been a TERRIBLE year for the TRES. If you look through the last few pages here you will see that many were lost. I lost 3 babies, the I am SO sad thread. Just one of many posts reporting lost TRES. The National Wildlife magazine april/may edition has an article titled Empty Skies Insect-eating birds that feed on the wing are vanishing from parts of North America and scientists dont know why. In my case I know it had to do with losing 1 of the parents leaving just one to feed 6 babies in horrid weather. I think most of the sad reports on here are weather related. I have not seen any attempt at a second nesting here but it has only been six days and 3 babies did fledge. There is one report of a second nesting on the forum so far this year. Good luck with yours!

I would think they would still be feeding it, they won't forget there is still one in there. They do sometimes withold food though to try to get them to fledge. Last year however I did find one fully feathered TRES baby in the nestbox when I went to clean out the boxes. I think it just couldn't get up and out the hole and the adults must have given up on it. The box did not have kerfs (built by some boy scouts) but it never caused a problem before, hole isn't more than 5 inches from the floor. I suppose I should have added some kind of ladder to the inside to prevent this from happening again but I never did. Most of our boxes here have six nestlings each, only three with five, one has seven. Last checked that one on day 12 and they all looked fine, I am hoping all seven make it and fledge, they are on about day 15 today so later this week they should be fledging. I have one box on day 17 right now and they are majorly peeking. They are in Gilwood boxes so multiple babies can look out at the same time. Donna