Do These Look Ready?

18 years ago

I made what I hope wasn't a horrid mistake yesterday. Perhaps all is well, but I just don't know yet.

I haven't been feeling well and yesterday I went to take the final pictures of the baby bluebirds. This would have been on day 12. WRONG! It was actually day 13. This is a second brood and I've noted every date since the first brood left so I know what day each egg was laid, when they hatched, etc.

When I took the picture yesterday they were very alert, big, but a little scared looking (that's what worries me). The inside was getting a bit used looking (dirty). After I closed it up and realized my mistake I watched for a while and things seemed to be normal.

This morning my husband told me that the babies were peeking out the hole in the box. I went out immediately and gave the parents waxworms. They fed the kids A LOT, and things seemed to settle down. I was gone most of the day and went out back a while ago to feed them. No Dad. No Mom. After a while I took a look, and sure enough, they are gone.

I'm including a link to one of the last pictures I took of them yesterday. You can see the box looks dirty. What do you think about their size? Do you think they were ready to fledge? If they left late this morning that would be 2 weeks exactly. The one thing that has me hopeful is that it was 2 weeks exactly for the first brood. Also, from this picture it looks like 4 females. What do you think?

If this were ready to leave, and did so on their own and safely, that makes 7 babies this year. I'm prepared for another brood since I know it can happen, but not sure which bank I'll rob to feed another set.

Any feedback on if these look ready would be welcome. I know it was a big mistake to look at them yesterday but it wasn't an intentional one. They've been fed well that's for sure. I do want the truth.

Thanks all.

tara

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (6)

newblue_2007
18 years ago
What do you think about their size? Do you think they were ready to fledge? They look perfect Tara! Ready for the world!

What do you think? Hard to say the sex for me...
Vanessa
renee_2006
18 years ago
Looks like 4 females to me too. If you see peeking at the nestbox hole you can rested assured that it won't be long and the little ones will fledge soon. My bb eggs should start hatching Thursday.
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trailerparkbirds
18 years ago
They look big enough to me, I noticed they weren't playing dead as well as the first batch my Blue birds had, In that first batch they had, I raised the side practically every day and took pictures of them. After they left I found out you're not suppose to do that the last four days. They got really good at playing dead, they would all have their beaks down in the nest so it was hard to see the beak. I think they probably heard me way ahead of time, Probably heard the storm door open, the shed door open and the ladder being set up and me fiddling with the latch thing on the side of the box. It looks like maybe your bluebird babies were surprised when you looked in.
Keith
fairychick
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you all for your replies. I'm hoping to see the parents tomorrow morning eager for food. After the first brood left they started coming to the front yard for their mealworms. I get a fresh shipment of waxworms (which they actually seem to prefer) tomorrow, so will have plenty to offer them. Then it will be time to get the box clean and ready in case they decide to have another set. If they continued to do things as they've been doing they'll have the next set in exactly two weeks.

I think the first set of three were 2 males and 1 female. So that would make 5 females total now to the 2 males. I learn more each go round.

Thank you all again for your responses. Keith...this is the first time I didn't see them playing dead and so the first time I got pictures of alert babies. Renee, please let me know how your fledging goes. Vanessa, thank you for your response.

I'll let you know if I see the parents (Brad and Angie) tomorrow.

tara
bbcathy
18 years ago
Tara they looked great to me too. It is better not to monitor after day 13 so you were within that time. Many times the parents will stop taking the fecal sacs out when it is fledging time.
Cathy
bluebars
18 years ago
Wow, they do look ready! Could your day count be wrong? Sometimes if they are really well fed and/or fewer young, they grow faster.
The first thing I noticed was that the tail feathers looked longer than how I've seen new fledglings. For comparison, here is one little girl at her first landing right out of the nestbox:

BlueBars

Do These Look Ready?

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