This is FREAKY because this is exactly what I have happening! First, I have a video cam inside the nest box. On Apr 1st, a titmouse started brining in nesting material...mostly moss. Since the bluebirds didn't seem to show any interest, I just let things go like that. The next day, i saw Mama Bluebird going into the box. The next day (Sat), Mama Bluebird started taking pine needles into the box and started HER nest right on top of what Mama Titmouse had there already. At one point, the blues were at the hole with the titmouse trapped inside. If you've never seen a titmouse do the 'hiss and lunge' when it's threatened, I'm tryng to get that vid up to YouTube. Sat. the two mamas took turns going in and working on the nest cup which is weird since titmice like their cups in the back and blues like them in the center. They were working AGAINST each other! We decided to put up a second nest box, not far from the first and as close to the feeder as the other. Mama Blue looked in it a few times but that's it. As far as I can tell, no other birds have been in it (there's a vid camera in it). Yesterday it looked like Mama Titmouse relented and Mama worked non-stop for hours and has most of the nest done. A few minutes ago, Mama Titmouse came in and started pulling the material SHE had brought in which is now the very bottom layer of the nest! Then she did the 'wing thing' to make HER nest cup toward the back. She left and I'm waiting for Mama Blue to arrive. I put out mealies and whistled as I always do. Rebecca, I've taken the approach that I'll let nature take its course. Of course, I want the bluebirds to prevail but I don't want any 'fights to the death' which can happen in some situaitons. OK, here comes Mama Blue into the nest and she immediately goes into 'making me a nest cup' mode :) The nest cup is not longer exactly in the enter but she's just working away. We'll see what the rest of the day will bring. Rebecca, I have heard of bluebirds, and other birds, building their nests over other birds nests--well, that happened here. I don't know where I saw it, but there was an instance of one bird building over unhatched eggs of another. Let's see what the other folks say.

Lovely! You have a handsome Cardinal. Titmouse is spoiled rotten and throwing out allot of corn. We don't have these here.

Thanks all. Definitely something strange about a bird not shaking off some of that water. Plus, having seen it in that condition so many times. She does fly off just fine, so hopefully all is well. Am waiting for the pair to bring their fledglings to the feeder!

That's a very furry looking titmouse, birdist! It looks like it's all wrapped up in a nice warm down parka. I'm looking forward to the future photos. Thanks, Claire