Hello everyone,

I've just been reading Sara's post. Same thing happened to me in Gettysburg.

Finally attracted the blues to my garden. Ms blue would come and sit on the clothesline when I whistled, alerting her to her meal worm snack. Then she became very busy building a nest in the box and laid 5 eggs. And then...nothing.

I didn't want to disturb her, thinking she was sitting on the eggs but after a few days I checked and she wasn't there. Nor did she come back. And then, an egg disappeared.

I have the box with a slot and it's on a green metal fence pole. I have another house about 25 ft away, same set up. Spent a lot of time researching directions to face them, heights, etc.

Last year wrens tried to nest in them but I kept tearing out their nest. The other house has a half finished bluebird nest in it..or maybe just smaller as it only takes up half the box.

We do have black snakes but I haven't seen any yet. No squirrels but HOSP and aggressive Mocking birds and swallows, who are leaving them alone and concentrating on their own boxes.. The funny thing is, I didn't ever see a male with her. I wondered if:

a) they're infertile or

b) SO's lawn mower spooked her.

She has deserted the nest. I wish there was someone with a sitting female that I could give those precious eggs to.

As it stands, there are now 3 males flying about and landing on the boxes (sometimes looking in) and a female has flown in a few times.( I'm certain it's not the same one as she doesn't sit in her spot and wait for me to fill the meal worm bowl.) The 4 eggs are still there and the other nest has not been added to. The Mocking bird is chasing the blues. Could he have killed her? He does land on the box but I doubt he could get in.

I don't know what to do. I'm putting up a "cage" around the meal worm bowl so the mocking bird can't steal the worms- as he has been doing. And I will put up a baffle.

Should I remove the nests? I'd hate to discourage them. I've wanted this SO badly.

Wendy