Last spring at the suggestion of some others on this forum I decided to clean out the boxes and move them to a higher location. When I opened the box to clean it I discovered a completed nest with four eggs in it, so I immediately closed the lid and left it alone. I then noted the date on my calendar and began to watch it closely. For the next two weeks I observed the female leaving the nest and returning in an hour or so, but no other activity and not a sign of the male.

About three weeks ago I began to see a lot of activity as both the male and female were frequently going back and forth to the box. I noted that every time they returned to the box they seemed to land on a nearby branch and sit there for two or three minutes before quickly hoping down to the nesting box and going inside. No doubt they were stopping on the branch to make sure the coast was clear before going to the nest, which would help conceal the actual position of their nest.

Last week I got the silly idea to set my camera on a tripod about 15ft from the limb and focus in on the spot on the limb where they land, attach a remote control shutter release, then sit back about 100ft away and trigger the camera remotely when I saw the birds land.

Here are a couple shots of both the male and female with a mouthful of bugs as they return to the nest.

Last Friday Mother said she thought she saw the flegelings leave the nest so I carefully opened the box to see. To my complete surprise, not only were the four fledgelings still in the box, there is also four more eggs in the nest. Is it possible that they are letting the fledgelings incubate another brood that will hatch shortly after these leave the nest???