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Strange Happenings

17 years ago

The day before yesterday, I had 5 bluebird eggs in the box. Yesterday there were only 4. The nest and the rest of the eggs were not disturbed. The box is on a slick pole with a baffle and not near any tree, fence, etc. that a critter could use to gain access to it. Do bluebirds somehow know when an egg is not viable and discard it? That was the only explaination I could think of. As of today there are again five eggs. She must have layed another egg this morning. I know that I didn't miss one egg yesterday when checking.

On another note, I saw a flock of cedar waxwings today in a tree behind our house! This was only the third time I have ever seen them. Aren't they a beautiful bird? They only stayed for a few minutes, but at least I was able to see them. They are supposed to winter here (SC), so they must be on their way further north.

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Comments (5)

renee1958
17 years ago
Congratulations on seeing the Cedar Waxwings! I'm in SC also and 2 years ago I had a flock of about 15 in my birdbath. They were beautiful, but I haven't seen any since. I'm like you, I think they were just passing through. I was just lucky to be looking out my window at just the right time.

As far as your Bluebirds go, I don't know what to make of it either. Everybody seems to be having odd experiences this year. Read my post (only two eggs). Good luck with yours!!!

Renee
fairychick
17 years ago
Same thing happened to me this year. We started out with 4 eggs. One hatched right on time. The next time I was able to check one of them looked like it was going to hatch. On the next check, it was gone - no shell, no baby. Same thing with the 3rd egg. I was able to check today and there's one baby and one egg that I doubt will hatch. I'll probably remove it this weekend.

Would love to see a bunch of cedar waxwings! I've had as many as 25 goldfinches in my yard, and they are stunning.

tara
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bluebars
17 years ago
The bluebirds would not now that their eggs are not viable. Sometimes they sit on them until long after they should have hatched.
Several other birds steal eggs. The tiny house wren (HOWR) sneaks in quietly and steals one egg (or young hatchling) at a time, and will drop it a distance from the nestbox. The English House Sparrow (HOSP) will steal eggs or young, and drop them right outside the nestbox, or simply break them right in the nest, or kill the young. Starlings, bluejays, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, snakes will take eggs or young. There are many predators; some can be prevented, and some cannot. http://www.sialis.org/predatorid.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/predatorid.htm
fairychick
17 years ago
I know that might weren't taken by HOWR or HOSPs. Don't have any around. There's a Carolina Wren with a nest on my deck that has 4 eggs in it, but now that nest looks like something happened. The eggs are there, but the nest is in shambles.

As for the bigger animals, I have a baffle. I do everything I can think of to make things safe for them. But I had no idea what to do about the late freeze. That's what I believe got them. Now I'm praying that it doesn't claim the chick that hatched.

tara
tuduloo
Original Author
17 years ago
Same here - I have never seen any HOSP or HOWR in my yard. I do have more than my share of brown headed cowbirds. Do they steal eggs? I know they deposit their eggs in other birds nests, but there aren't any of their eggs in this nest.

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