Today = 18 days since 1st 3 baby bluebirds hatched in my frontyard birdhouse and 17 days since the other 2 baby bluebirds hatched. We had a rainstorm late yesterday, so I thought the babies would not come out until this morning. Fortunately, it was a "normal" rainstorm without all the high winds we've had in the last couple of months. I got up very early this morning and I think there is only 1 left in the box. I hear his lonely little sad chirping and have seen the dad bluebird 5 times since 7:00 a.m. come to this one. They could have come more times, but this is all I have seen. The next to last time the dad bluebird just popped his head in the box and did not feed the baby, or I didn't see anything in his mouth to feed as he went in, but the baby quieted down for a while. The last time, he did feed the baby and checked in on him 3 times, and "bonked" his reflection in my window 3 times. He doesn't see me as the room is dark and he sees only the reflection of what is outside. I saw 1 in the backyard kid's playhouse and this one was soaking wet. It could have been that he just got wet from the heavy dew we have here today. The babies seem to love the little shed and kid's playhouse we have because they are also made of the cedar that their house is made of. My husband said that they probably think they are in a giant birdhouse - lol. I hear at least 1 in the tall trees in the woods in back of our house making the same little sounds asking to be fed. I so much wanted to see them fledge this time, but I guess I missed it again. The only thing I can hope is that I can sit where I am in the bedroom window where I have a direct view of the birdhouse opening and hope that this last one fledges today or tomorrow. I'm really not sure he'll be ready to leave until tomorrow, so I've got a long wait in store, especially since I have to be getting ready for my son's wedding.

YEA Sara! No they do not lose track (ok maybe for a minute if they all jump out and scatter) LOL! They will continue making that soft cooing sound for days, that's how they talk to (I say "comfort")the babies so wherever the babies are they know the parents are not far. As long as a baby can peep it will not be lost.They will gather the babies as close together as they can, get them fed and hunkered down for the night. Tomorrow ..flying lessons! Did it go pretty much the way I described? Were they all good flyers? Keep the meal worms coming and in about 10 days you may be rewarded with babies at the feeder! Clean out your box and get ready for round 2! ;D

Thanks Kenn, there were four. I cleaned out the nestbox yesterday and took down the spooker. That was the cleanest nest I have ever removed from a birdhouse! There was only one spot of poop in the house! I found about 10 live mealworms too and two of them grew to be very large, wonder if they were feeding on the blowworm larva, there were a few of them in the bottom too, not many though. I actually had a feeling they might leave early just cause they were getting fed however I did have a nestbox at the park this year that fledged on day 16 also. Normally around here it is day 19. I am really wondering if there is time for another nesting or not, I am thinking not but you never know. A pair at the park is sitting on eggs right now on their second nesting but I don't know if there is enough time for this pair in our yard or not. My first year of bluebirding I did have a nest that fledged in August but none last year. This year at the park the pair is about 10 days behind last years schedule. The second pair at the park never started a new nest yet. I see them often with the babies, not sure if they found a natural cavity or not. It has been three weeks since they fledged. Donna

Lisa - thanks for the play-by-play. Your little Hussy sounds like such a character! Congrats on the five new blues!