It depends on your set up. Is it mounted on a slick pole with a baffle and away from trees and fences? If it is not it could have been a number of critters. If it is properly mounted I would suspect a House Wren. You may need to move your box. Go to www.sialis.org for suggestions. Good Luck.

Sounds like a House Wren if you have a Sparrow Spooker up. You could try adding a wren guard but since the wren already knows the hole is there it may not work. Have you seen the Blues around still? They could give up on this nesting since two eggs were removed or she could start incubating the two. Its a wait and see thing right now. I will add a link to what a wren guard is....only thing is you need to be able to watch and make sure they accept it. I had a pair of Blues that wouldn't accept a wren guard one year so I had to take it back down. Most of them will accept a guard though as long as they have eggs in the nest. Oh and on this site it shows them made out of wood. Most people make them out of cardboard. I use a heavy cardboard and duct tape, lots of people use cheezit boxes. Good luck!

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: wren guard

Lisa & Donna, Thanks for your reply! the bird house is mounted on the 2X3 post. I don't see anything big can climb up the post and steal the eggs and then close the door afterwards.

Early yesterday morning (before I realzed eggs were missing) both blue birds showed up together, and the female was in and out the birs house. Later on, the male blue showed up alone a couple of times, he waited and looked inside the house and flew away; later the female came alone, sticking her head out of the hole for a while, then flew away. Yesterday evening, the male showed up again without the female, he waited for while and left. Don't know what happen in between.

This morning, no blue birds showed up (it's raining, don't know whether that's a factor). There are still 2 intact eggs in the nest. Does this mean the blue birds have abandoned their nest? What am I suppose to do now?

It sounds like they have abandoned it. Oh and as far as nothing being able to climb up a 2x3 post and get the eggs, yes they can. A raccoon can easily climb up there, they don't have to open the door, they just hold on with one paw and reach in the hole with the other paw and grab out the eggs/babies and incubating female if she is there. Had it happen last year with a box mounted on conduit that I didn't have a baffle on. The coon got two of the five baby blues. Next day I added a baffle and the coon came back that night but couldn't get up with the baffle on, left a footprint on the bottom of the baffle as evidence. A wooden post is like a tree to a raccoon, conduit is much harder to climb but they can even get up that. However being that your nest wasn't messed up it is more likely a wren. Could be a snake too if you have them around, we don't though so I am not familiar with that, would think a snake would have taken all the eggs.

My advice is watch to make sure they have abandoned the nest, then take the nest out, take the nestbox down and properly mount it on a slick metal pole (conduit works great and is easy) and add a baffle, wobbling stovepipe is easy to install too, and hope for another nesting. Check out sialis.org for lots of info on properly offering nestboxes for our native birds.

Donna

You definitely need to add a baffle. It could have been a snake, a raccoon, or even a squirrel that took the eggs. Many things can climb a wooden post. Without a baffle they can even climb the metal conduit. Once they know there is a meal there, they will come back to finish off the remaining eggs. I doubt it was a house wren, as I've never seen them leaving some eggs intact. I would think the remaining eggs would have tiny holes poked in them.

I agree with Kendra.....a Wren will not leave any eggs unscathed. You may have a chance to save the 2 remaining eggs If you remount the box, same height, facing same direction. Be sure to put a baffle on the pole. If the Blues are able to save and fledge these 2 eggs they will probably be back for a second nesting. Time is of the essence get er done! Good Luck!

Thank you all for your help!

Lisa, what do you mean by "remount the box"? The box is still on the post. Do you mean move the box somewhere else?

By the way, another male blue(I assume it's a different male) has claimed the other unused bluebird house nearby. He stands by the box, goes in from time to time.

The remaining 2 eggs are gone!

Yep, move the box off the post. Mount it on conduit at least 15 feet away from any fence or tree or post. Put a stovepipe baffle and hopefully you will get a Blue to nest. They will be safe this way. Check out sialis.org for tons of helpful info on how to properly offer nestboxes for our native cavity nesting birds.

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: stovepipe baffle

Thanks Donna! It's hard to find a place to move the box to that is away from trees and fences. I have checked sialis.org for all kinds of buffles. What do you think of the idea of leaving the boxes(I have 2) where they are, but put on Noel Guard to prevent raccoon, cats and squirrel and wrap the post with birdnest to prevent snakes?

I don't think alot of birds accept the noel guard, from what I have heard anyway. I have no experience with them. If you did leave the box on the post I would add a 8" stovepipe baffle to it, just make sure it has a bit of a wobble in it. This would make it safer anyway from raccoons and squirrels. I am not familiar with snakes, we don't have them here so I can't help you there. If netting works for them then I would add that at the bottom too.

Question though, how close is this post to fences or trees? If it is closer than 15 ft, cats, squirrels or raccoons can jump to the box also.

Donna

A little bird just moved in to the abandoned box and it's throwing out some of the nesting material. Not sure what bird it is. I't not a chickadee, may be a wren? It's much smaller than the blue bird, I can't see the detail marking clearly even with a binocular. Now what?

Yep, that would be a wren, probably what took the eggs out in the first place. You don't want to let it nest there, that is for sure. If it starts putting sticks in keep taking them out or plug the hole for a bit. If you do end up getting another pair of Blues interested in this house or your other one you will need to add a wren guard once she lays her first egg. I had an link to one in an above post. Sorry things haven't gone well for you...so many dangers for our Blues out there.

Donna

Donna, I took out the the abandoned nest and left the door open. I have a male blue bird hanging around the other house constantly and going in and out of it for the past couple of days, so I know the blue birds don't need this box.

So far a few female blues have showed up but no one stayed. I start to feel sorry for the little guy. I hope he finds a mate soon. I will definitely put up a wren guard if an egg has been laid.

By the way, the wren looks like such a cute perky little thing, can't believe it is so mean.

Thank you for all your help!

We have had blue birds for two seasons now. Last year they had 3 nests and I must commend mom and dad. They worked so hard. This year our first nest and the babies are loud in the box, seems soon to fly, however today only dad, working so hard, no female for entire day. I fear something is wrong. If she doesn't show up, will he abandon the nest? They are ready to fly and I feel so helpless.

We had the same thing happen with the missing egg. We added a bafflel on the metal fence post that holds the nest box. The other two eggs made it, babies are 3 days old.

Cindy it soumds like something may have happened to female, has she shown back up?

Hi-

I have what appears to be the same bluebird pair come back to nest in a different box in my yard this year. These two have always been together by coming to my feeder & when building their nest. However, I have seen him in the last few days, but not anywhere around her or the nest box. He'll come to my courtyard to get mealworms or drink from the bird bath, but then flies off somewhere else while she is either in the box or perched up in the tree where she can see the box. It's as if they broke up. I'm worried that she's being left alone to deal with the situation. He doesn't come around to feed her or attend to her at all & I never see him perched up in the tree nearby like he was before. I put up the sparrow spooker after the 2nd egg & I'm wondering if he doesn't like it as I didn't have it last year when they nested in the courtyard. I'm perplexed as to what is happening. Has anyone ever encountered this? Should I tie up the streamers on sparrow spooker or take it down to see if he returns? I'm just afraid that once the babies hatch, she'll be on her on. I keep thinking, "No, of course he'll be there with her, but why isn't he with her right now when he always has been?" Like I said, I saw him twice today, but completely ignoring her & the nesting site. Please help! Very concerned!

Nicole

My bluebird has been away from her eggs for 3 days now. We ' ve had a lot of rain and it's been cool in the evening. Since the rain started I haven't seen either one of the birds. Really haven't seen many birds at all. What do I do? Thank you. Alice

Wouldn't think they'd abandon eggs unless something scared them away. Not sure if weather would keep her from incubating? Have you seen her back around yet?

Nicole

Interesting bluebird story. 4 eggs in the nest. 2 days later nest is built up 3 inches higher and one egg is in it. Shocked! 4 days later there are 5 eggs. All hatched and nestlings fledged. When I removed the nest he original 4 eggs were in the bottom portion of the nest. Any guess as to what happened? Original male but not sure if it was the original female the second go-round. The pair have just built another nest in a new house (not a box this time) and there are now 2 eggs. I am watching like a hawk.

My guess is that it is a different female. They usually only participate if it's their own offspring. Not sure, but that would be my guess particularly since a whole new nest was built too. Where is the house located that they're in now? Just wanted to make sure it was safe from predators. Best of luck to you & your pair on 2nd go round! Mine should have hatchlings any time now for 2nd brood.

Nicole

I'm concerned about the new house on the other side of the back yard within view of the bluebird box. It is not s bluebird box and is a house in a square post--no baffle to protect from predators. 3 eggs now. Anyone know if some type of baffle can be rigged on a post? Also concerned about the opening with the little ledge. Why didn't the female return to the original box from which 5 hatchlings fledged?

Such a cute house! Don't know why they make the decisions they make? Although not ideal, would think you could make a homemade wobbly baffle to make difficult for climbing predators. What size is the hole? If bigger than 1.5", you could put a hole reducer on to keep starlings/bigger birds out (looks small from pic?). Not sure if you could add temporary material to keep HOSP/smaller birds from having a ledge? The only other thing you could do is cut any brush back around house that could enable a predator to get onto house or stake. Lots of bluebird experts on bluebirdnutcafe.com if you want to inquire there. Will keep my fingers crossed for y'all!

Nicole

Thx! 5 eggs in the house now. The pair also brought all 5 babies from the first brood to my birdbath today. 3 females and 2 males!

Congratulations on 5 eggs! My five eggs from 2nd brood just hatched yesterday & today. What a great birthday treat to see the juveniles from the 1st brood! I have 3 juveniles that come by often from first brood, but they are no longer with the parents. You may be one of those rare cases where the juveniles help the parents feed the nestlings! Wouldn't that be a treat? Would love to hear if that happens! I sure hope all goes well with them nesting in that cute house. BTW, happy birthday!

Nicole

Oh, one more thing, you could get a predator guard for that entrance. Looks like the hole's not very deep from the picture?

My bird store has ordered a guard for me--can't find a baffle as the post is not standard size. Congrats on the successful hatching! I'll keep you posted on the new family.

Just thinking out loud, you could just get a plastic bucket, turn it upside down, cut a hole for that post (guess that would be the hard part) , & put it over your post. You"d have to figure out a way to hang it from your post, but that way, you"d have a wobbly baffle. If there's any space between the hole & the post, you could fill it in with hardware cloth on the underside of the bucket. Make sense? You may even be able to google pics of using a bucket as a baffle. I've seen an instructional utube video on it before. Just a thought...

I considered having one constructed but the house would have to be taken off of the post--don't want to do that with the eggs in the nest-- incubation should start in the next couple of days.

Anyone familiar with greasing a pole with vaseline? Our bluebird's 4 eggs disappeared last week and now the pair (or a different pair) are adding straw to the box again. I was recommended to get a cage type guard too. Just not sure I should add it now, since they have already begun their nesting process.

Yes, I grease my poles. Are you putting the cage guard on the box around the hole? If so, make sure they accept it. The best thing you can do is put a baffle on that pole. If you have time, go to Sialis.org & you will learn all about how to decrease predators. So sorry the eggs are gone!

BTW, love the pic!

I have a pair of bluebirds that lost their first brood of 4 due to a wren. They rebuilt a second nest and we waited 11 days for her to lay eggs. She laid one yesterday around noon but nothing today. She goes in and stays for 20-30 minutes so I assume she is incubating. Is it unusual to only have 1 egg?

I have a blue bird that laid 5 eggs. Today 4 of the eggs hatched but the 5 egg at first today only had a crack around the egg. Then later today 1/2 of the shell was gone, now all the shell is gone but it still looks like a egg that has been peeled. Oh my

gosh what has happened and should we remove ? Do you think that there's still a live baby bird in there. Please let me know what to do. Sincerely Carol Sewell wldbil1@cox.net

We've had a blue jay pair in our rhododendron. I've been watching since it's also about 6 feet from our front door, up against our house. I got mama a birdbath and food, which she never used. So her eggs hatched and I watched daddy feed her, and then her feed her babies. This was so precious. But now they're all gone. Could they be renesting? I've had my field cam on them but it's not revealing if daddy or mommy transported the babies. I havent seen any critters either. I was really hoping I would get to see the babies grow. I feel bad bc I am not sure if her babies made it. 😔