Oh Donna, I can whole-heartedly relate to your panic! (I know, I went through this last year.) That does seem like a long time for him to be away - especially if you were seeing him regularly. There are so many possible scenarios. He could be out scouting for other nesting sites or -as you said- could be using the trees as "cover" while perching/hunting, thus staying out of view. I'm keeping fingers crossed and hoping nothing happened to him. Keep us posted. I'm sure the others will be along with their thoughts shortly. Hang in there.

Donna...I had some similiar concerns several days ago..this is round #2 for my blues...Daddy was dutifully attentive during the first nesting, but this time, he became so scarce, and I missed him for a few days, thinking something might have happened or he was being a very neglectful mate, while Mom was incubating...the eggs hatched several days ago, and lo and behold he's back again, being a good daddy! I don't have a clue as to why he did a disappearing act for awhile, and it is scary...

Do you have a mealworm feeder they visit regularly??? I'm still rather new to bluebirding, but I know how you feel...maybe your daddy blue is behaving like mine and he'll show up soon...don't panic yet! I'm keeping my fingers crossed, so you keep us posted!

Donna

Dad was out at the club.....he did his thing, he knows Mom is not much fun when she is incubating, it's warm enough that she has plenty of time to go find her own food and get herself back into "shape" after all those eggs. Hes just partying up in the trees, keeping an eye on her and the eggs. He will have to get back to work when they hatch. If he has a "hussy Mom " like I do he will be doing most of the feeding. Now mind you I have witnessed Dads contribution to creating babies and I don't think he could possibly be tuckered out ......but then you know Men! LOL

Thanks all! I still have not seen him at all. I can just tell something is wrong. Mom is in and out alot but does stay in for long times too. I haven't seen her this morning yet but it is eary and was raining earlier. I wish I had trained them already for the mealworms but I was waiting for incubation as everytime I tried before that mostly the Robins would get the worms. I will keep trying to get her to find the worms but I am afraid she will be leaving too. I hope not though!! =(

Donna

I posted this on Bets thread about widows/widowers too but wanted to post it here too just to get any advice I can.....
Ok, so any advice from anyone on how to keep Momma ok on her eggs with no Dad. Today would be day three of incubation. She is still here but no male. Will she stay? I know a male will sing for a new mate but what does a female do? Also being this is late into the nesting season if a new mate did show up, he wouldn't have a chance for mating if she did try to raise these eggs on her own as there wouldn't be enough time here in WI for another nesting if this one went to fledging. I am going to go get some crickets this morning as soon as the pet shop opens disable them and put them in with the mealworms in the dish I have under her perch, hoping that with a little more movement in there she will find the worms. I may also get a few waxworms. If I can get her to the mealworm dish then I will get more mealworms/waxworms to keep her belly full so she can just incubate those eggs as much as she needs to. Oh, I am so upset over this, my stomach is just in knots. I was so excited to get these Blues and now this happens. Last year I had a baby with a deformed leg (died), blowflies killed two more babies and I had the one sole survivor and now this.

Donna

Donna, I cannot believe she would leave those eggs. She will most likely do her best to raise her brood. Most likely she will find a new mate, but right now she is kind of busy. I don't think I would put food "under her perch" because it could attract other birds, even predators.
Read some of the suggestions on Bet's web site for "training bluebirds" about mealworm offerings - maybe there is a better way for you to get her attention. At first, I used a wide flat plant saucer that mealworms could not crawl out of, and placed it on the ground about 10-15 feet away. She eventually found it, but then you need to gradually move it to a safer location, like a feeder. Remember that they hunt for insects from above and by their movement.
Offer clean water nearby for drinking and bathing. If you have seed feeders, take them down until after nesting season. If there are HOSP or HOWR around, there are things you can do to help protect her. Be sure you have a proper setup; raccoon baffle, etc. But short of a dating service for bluebirds, that's all I can think of.
BlueBars

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/feeder.htm

Gosh, I may be off base here, so those with more bluebird experience will hopefully give you more accurate advice..

I would think that if daddy is really gone, Mama would be totally committed to the eggs and even the babies...as with any single parent, she might have to work alot harder finding food for herself and the babies, but I can't imagine that she would just abandon those eggs or babies, because her mate is gone....of course, I still hope he shows up, and I hope this bit of reassurance is legit!

Please keep us posted....we are all pulling for you and your little Mama..

Donna

Bluebars, I am just initially putting the mealworms under where she normally perches, this is the only spot I see her perch at, it is near the nestbox though so I know I cannot leave them there. I guess I thought that was the correct way to "train" them was to initially put the mealworms under where you see them perch watching for bugs and then move them where you want them feeding from. This nestbox is about 120 feet or so from the house so not easy to watch like those in the yard. Thanks for the tip about the water, I hadn't thought about that one, we have birdbathes on the deck but I never thought about putting water down there too.

Oh and the crickets worked. I put about three disabled crickets in one little dish, 10 waxworms and one cricket in another little dish and then mealworms and a cricket in another dish. She found all three dishes, she ate the crickets first from what I could tell. She ate some then went in the nestbox for awhile but she is constantly poking her head out, flying out and then flying back in. I know she must be looking for her mate. Then she eventually goes back in and stays for awhile. Of course about 20 min later, a Robin found what she didn't eat in the dishes. I can't keep them away from there being so far way either. I have a jailhouse style feeder that my dh made but it is for sitting on the deck not for hanging, any ideas how to make a quick hanging feeder that I could use down there?

I sure hope she stays committed to the eggs. Bets site said they more than likely will abandon the nest during incubation when a male goes missing. This is only day 3 of incubation, she has a long way to go by herself!

Donna

Donna...Bluebars and I must have been posting at the same time, so I didn't see hers before I wrote mine...she is far more knowlegeable than I am and has much more useful info to offer...

Yes, Mama has a long way to go, but I hope she beats the odds and will be able to manage parenthood alone! Please continue to update us and good luck!

Donna