They ARE worth it Donna! But I was so close! Loosing what I've lost this season makes me realize just how fortunate I WAS in previous seasons! About it being the same HOSP...Donna, my boxes are paired somewhere between 50-150 yards apart, and I've had HOSP show interest at more than one box at more than one pair. I wouldn't at all be surprised if it was the same HOSP. The thing that is bugging ME is that the HOSP that got past my Spooker isn't building a nest..just leaving droppings in my boxes and isn't around 95% of the time, making me worried I won't catch him soon enough. That is weird that they would only attack some and leave the others. I've had Wrens peck at 8 day old bluebird babies! Some wouldn't believe it..but seeing the bird perched atop the box soon after was all the proof I needed! Luckily all fledged. I saw the pictures over at the bluebirdnut forums. Poor things! I also have less worry for the TRES. I get MOBS of them some times! (earlier in the season mainly) I do think there may be less blues, but their territory is so much LARGER than TRES so it ends with less bluebirds. When I lost my first male Blue this year, suddenly 3-5 bluebirds started showing up! I rarely saw more than 2 before this. There are more out there...but they're strongly territorial, and despite what seems like a football field of distance between my boxes, I only get 1 pair. They (the bluebirds) have started a nest! But I've seen the male chase a Male HOSP all over the place, who has been chirping behind the boxes all day! He almost landed on the adjacent box, was fluttering near it, before the male BB picked it up instantly and chased it. I now have EIGHT HOSP fledglings in the DRST! HOW MANY ARE THERE?????? I've been catching 1-2 per day for the past 3+ days at least! I haven't caught any parents. Take that neighbor lady! lol. ~Tim~

That is too bad. Hard to tell what happened. Is the nest close to the hole in the box? I know when I checked on my TRES for the last time on day 15 there was one little one in there that was very brave. It tried to jump out twice while I was trying to do a head count and make sure all were living after we had that three day cold wet spell and lost 3 other nestings. Maybe like you said that one was doing some early peeking and got a little to far out, they wouldn't be able to fly well at all at day 15, mine didn't leave until day 22. Last year I had a TRES fledgling that couldn't fly well but it could fly, spent two days on top of the box until its brothers or sisters left the box and it flew off with them. Mom and Dad would feed it on top of the box. It would fly around a little bit but never far and would return to the top of the box. I think it too just left too early however not as early as your poor little TRES. I sure hope the rest stay put until they are good flyers! Have you seen the adults around feeding the babies?? Donna

Mine are just like your first picture today. Still peeking out when i came in, How long do they do that before they go? I thought they'd be gone today, but there is still at least one in there, I had 5 (I think)I wish I had seen at least one go, but I didn't, and probablyby the time I get home tomorrow nite from work, they'll be gone. Do I take the nest out, same as Bluebirds?

Gorgeous photos. The male tree swallow is iridescent in your pics! I do question your final id though, are you really sure that's a rabbit? (big grin)