Kenn and Temple, AWESOME photos! Thanks for sharing. Janie, I read that too (about the male taking out materials to encourage the female to speed up nest building). I'm not so sure that applies to this male and female though :) If you watched the first 4 or 5 days of the videos, Daddy took out more than Mama brought in!!!! And today is Day 14, so if it's supposed to get Mama to make the nest faster, I don't think it worked :) I know I'm over simplifying this...I know that they respond to a complex combination of clues like supply of food, etc. And our weather has been up and down and up and down, too. As far as the female taking out nesting material, with this pair only the male has done it. And in the early days of nest building, I could see that what Daddy was taking out "didn't fit." But also in those early days, he took out as much as she brought in!!! Some days it was hysterical seeing him in the box taking out stuff with her at the hole 'chattering' then her going in with him only to have him slide quickly out with his 'treasure' LOL But yesterday's little piece of ? that he took out...really now! That's a bit obsessive :) I have to watch not to anthropomorphize too much! I'm hoping Mama will start egg laying SOON (as in this week). But I've been fooled by birds before...they don't seem to take MY feelings into their egg laying decisions!! Bluebird blessings, Linda...and may none of us have to deal with HOWRS or HOSP!

Woohoo, they moved in today!

I'm located in NC. The Blues have checked out the box numerous times but so far haven't chosen it for their nest. There is still time for at least one, possibly two, more nestings so I'm not giving up hope yet. Just miss them so far. And yes, I know what you mean about hearing them. I have gotten very used to having all those bird sounds in my house that I think that's why you & I are missing them so much. For a little sound, though, I have had a Downy Woodpecker that roosts in one of my boxes at night. It's not the box that the Blues usually choose so he has it all to himself. :) Let's hope good luck comes our way and we have takers on our boxes and worms soon.

Your photos are amazing! Thanks for sharing them. I wish I could get some good ones, but I'm sure I would need a better camera. This is my 1st year having bluebirds. I had five in my yard this afternoon; some were feeding on the mealworm feeder and others sitting on the birdbath. I was so happy to see them all at once. I think they may have all been fledglings, but not sure. I live in southern WI and I thought they were long gone from the area. I have not been outside much this fall (family medical issues that I have been gone from home assisting with) and had not seen them. How long do they usually stay in this area?