They ran the babies off : (

15 years ago

I was hoping they would stick around and maybe help feed and fledge the new batch. They were all over the box and the feeder up until 2 days ago. Dad started squawking at them and now they are gone. I have not even seen them at the feeder. The eggs should be hatching (may even be hatching as I type). Do you think the parents will let them come back when the new babies are ready to go? I would think they would be of help keeping track of their new siblings.

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Comments (11)

dzyg
15 years ago
They may come back once the new babies fledge, I have had that happen before, just depends I suppose how far away they go. If they stay in the area or not.

I wish they wouldn't do that either but I know it happens. I have three around from the first brood and eggs being incubated right now. They aren't due to hatch until the 25th, so far things are ok Dad is still feeding them here and there even though they do go into the feeder themselves now. They fledged 19 days ago at day 18 so they are 37 days old now.

Donna
lisa11310
Original Author
15 years ago
These guys are about 35 days fledged and were good little hunters, I hear them so they are not far.
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kendra2003
15 years ago
I always feel so bad for the young ones when this happens. They will happily beg and be fed for a while, then all of a sudden the parents turn on them. The poor things look so confused when they try to beg for food, and then get attacked by the parents that cared for them. I have heard some stay around and help with the next clutch, but I've never seen that here. Mine usually chase their first clutch off the day the second clutch hatches.
dzyg
15 years ago
Kendra, two years ago I had a first nesting with three girls and one boy fledgling. Around the time when the second nesting hatched the fledgling male dissappeared, I assumed something happened to him as the three females were still here. Once the second nesting fledged an older male fledgling showed up and joined right in with the bunch going into the feeder, he was in the same stage of molting as the 3 girls. So I am assuming it was the male from the first nesting and he was allowed to return once that second nesting fledged. Waiting to see what happens this year with the three fledglings from our first nesting.

Donna
kendra2003
15 years ago
That is an interesting story Donna. I wish I could experience something like that. I never see the original fledges after the parents chase them off.
dzyg
15 years ago
Kendra, it was really cool. The most interesting thing that year was that the first nesting was three females and one male, the second nesting was three males and one female. How cool is that! All eight fledglings and the parents stayed until the end of October. It was so cool having 10 Bluebirds come to the feeders to feed!

Donna
dzyg
15 years ago
Hey Lisa, had to come back to your post to see if the new nesting had hatched before or after your first fledglings disappeared. My second nesting started hatching yesterday late afternoon. At 6PM one baby was hatched, three fledglings from the first nesting still around. This morning at 6:30AM two babies and two eggs, around 11:00 three babies one egg. Haven't checked since. I had seen the three fledglings at 11:00 and then again at noon and now just again at 1:30 at the mealworm feeder. I don't normally see them the whole day, they go into the neighbors yard and around where I cannot see them but always come back for some mealworms every now and then. So far it looks like they are sticking around. Mom and Dad are feeding the hatchlings. These three haven't stuck real close since they started feeding themselves, they seem very independant and maybe that is why Dad didn't chase them away yet. My fingers are crossed that they are allowed to stay, I so want to watch this one (photo below) change into his adult colors! He inherited such a pretty blue color from his Mom!

Donna
katiedidcottage
15 years ago
He is so beautiful and healthy looking! I can't wait to see him either!
kendra2003
15 years ago
Oh my Donna, that is one really cool looking fledgling! And that is a really awesome picture you got. It looks like he's posing for you to show off his unique color of blue. How close did you have to get to get such a clear photo of him? I've been trying to get pictures of my fledglings, but the pictures don't come out anywhere as sharp as your picture.
dzyg
15 years ago
Kendra, I was in the house about 16 or so feet away from where he was. I have a bunch of potted plants around my mealworm feeder and he was cooling himself from the hot humid weather that day.

Donna
kendra2003
15 years ago
Well that is an amazing shot taken from 16 feet away! I wish I could get one that good. You can even see the downy baby feathers clearly on his back. And the color is so unique. I just love that picture.