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Blue Birds nesting

18 years ago

Early this year I had a pair of dees make a nest in my bb house. They Fledged 5 babies. I was worried that I would not get any BB this year because the dees gat there first. But I worried for nothing. After I cleaned the house out after everyone had left I noticed the blues checking it out. They have been so busy placing that pine straw in the house one piece at a time. This is just making me tired watching them. I have really enjoyed watching them do this. They talk to each other as they are building their little nest. How long after the nest is built does the female start laying the eggs? I am so excited about this and I hope everything works out ok for them, cause they have worked so hard. This is the first year that I have had dees and I really enjoyed watching them. And this is the first time that I have had dees and blues share the house. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that I can have some baby blues this year too.

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Comment (1)

dzyg
18 years ago
indigo, congrats on your successful Dee nesting!! Best of luck to your Blues too! I looked back on my records from last year and in good weather conditions the Blues started egg laying 3-5 days after completing nestbuilding. Of course what we perceive as a completed nest and what they perceive it as could be totally different and weather plays a big part in it too. This years nests at the park where I monitor nestboxes both pairs of Blues that are there took over 10 days to lay eggs after the nest appeared to be complete however the weather was very cold then and I believe they delayed egg laying. I had a pair of Blues house hunting in my yard yesterday and this morning. I am so hoping they decide to nest here too!

Donna
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Neopyte, I had my dh make my hole reducers, he has a drill press?? at work and used cedar. However I know you can purchase them also, hopefully someone else here will chime in with the where on that one. I had chickadees building last year but was a day late on the hole reducer, the HOPS ran them off. The box they had chosen wasn't one I could put a van ert in and I didn't, at the time, have a spare nestbox to use as a trapbox. Luckily the dees didn't get harmed but I was sad to see them not nest there, coincindentally the Blues ended up nesting in that same box, by that time the HOSP had either been eliminated or left the yard. They usually say to not put the reducer on until the chickadee lays the first egg as they don't care for the 1/8 hole as much but can get into it fine. If you have HOSP around though, I would do it before and hope for the best. Better to be safe than sorry. As far as seed the chickadees love sunflower seeds, hearts and chip or BOSS, the also like peanuts and suet around here. Also it isn't a good idea to put a nestbox near the birdfeeders, too much bird traffic that way. The closest nestbox I have to a feeder is about 50ft, the rest are much further away than that. It is best to point the hole of the nestbox away from prevailing winds, preferabbly towards a tree but away from the way the direction the rain usually blows during the summer months. Donna
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Well Tim, get that pole into the ground really securely. Yes, there is time for another batch of eggs. I do have some concern that nest #2 might meet the same fate as nest #1 though. Need to keep a close watch on it. Check inside the box about every 3 days or so and keep a written record of what you find. The Mom will begin incubation once the last egg is laid, and they usually lay 3-6 eggs. No, the babies do not look blue at first. Check the link here to familiarize yourself with normal chick appearance.~~Angie Here is a link that might be useful: Egg to Empty Nest/sialis
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