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The Timing of A Second Nest?

17 years ago

My best friend's blues fledged this past Saturday. She cleaned out the box on Sunday and by Monday morning, nestbuilding was going on!!! Would this be a new couple? I would think the parents of the first brood would be too busy taking care of their young to even think about starting a 2nd nest so quickly. Last year, my Mama blue began the 2nd nest 13 days after the first brood fledged.

This year, the babies fledged on 5/2 and there is no sign of nestbuilding yet.

She asked me about this, so I told her I would ask the experts!

Donna

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Comments (2)

rxblue
17 years ago
I agree with you in that it is probably to soon for the original pair to start again. The box closest to my house fledged on 5/5 and on 5/12 I noticed some nest building activity in that box. It could be the original pair because they stay in the area and come back at least twice a day when I put out mealworms close to that box, so they still might defend it, although even that seems a little soon so I am not 100% sure.

Phil
bbcathy
17 years ago
Some birds start building a nest before the current brood fledges.
Cathy
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Sounds like you really have some challenges. You have my sympathies! A tiny poked hole is more likely a house wren's thin sharp beak, sometimes taking them some distance away, or simply tossing them out. The house sparrow will toss the eggs out, but their finch-like beak would not as likely make a tiny poke hole. And the HOSP is more likely to stick around, harass, or even take over the cavity. "Do BB's destroy their own eggs" ... No "the nest possibly could have been flooded?" ... are there leaks that could be fixed? "Are the HOSP really sneaky" ... yes, but HOWR are sneakier ... "and resistant to the Sparrow Spooker?" ... yes, and house wrens will not be deterred by a sparrow spooker. House Wrens are even sneakier, faster and silent, leaving no evidence behind, only destroying eggs or young. You might hear them singing, but might never, ever see them! There are some links to sound files of house wren song and chatter on Bet's web pages, so you can learn to hear the unwelcome sounds of house wrens. Visit Bet's web page for more info. And by the way, the Carolina Wren is a very different bird, welcome almost anywhere; not a threat to other birds. BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/index.html
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Second nesting so far great!
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Comments (1)
Congrats deedee!! Oh gosh, I hope that all goes well this time for the Blues. Just do what you can to secure the box, so that it might withstand the high winds. Keep us posted.~~Angie
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Nestbuilding going on here....babies fledged less than a week ago
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Comments (4)
Congrats on the fledging and the second nesting. I am very anxious for the fledging of our nestlings, because it will be our first successful fledging. I'm also bummed that we will most likely be on vacation when they fledge: we are leaving for a week starting on the 11th, and today is their 8th or 9th day. I have no idea if they will stick around or not...hopefully I can atleast see them once when we get back just to be sure that they made it and are safe. Maybe mine will fledge late so I get to see them, however it is very doubtful since it is late in the season and I'm providing mealworms; I'm really just hoping for healthy fledglings. I think my TRES will be fledging today or tomorrow. I have been seeing heads poking out and hearing a lot of wing-flapping.
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New babies of the second nesting......
Q
Comments (1)
Congratulations on your new hatchlings Donna! Sounds like you're having a very good nesting season. :) Kenn
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