Was it the male doing the singing.
Keith

Hi Donna,

I've witnessed this behavior at least 3 separate times this season... just prior to nest building.

You said you saw the fledges with dad this morning... they're fine. Mom and Dad are just falling in love again perhaps. ;)

don't panic,

Kenn :)

It was the male on the radio tower doing the singing. Then when I saw them in the dead tree it was both of them, the male was more singing the female sounded more like she was calling. They couldn't see me at that point, I was near the nestbox where they nested. Then they flew over me into the top of some tall trees and started again. They did see me at this point and never scolded me or anything. The male did have the two babies that I saw today right near the nestbox they fledged from. I saw them last today around 3:00ish and watched the parents take worms down to that area around 4:30-5:00. This was at 7:00 or so when they were singing like that. I hope you are right Kenn! I did walk around the property looking for feather piles, we do have a hawk around. I haven't seen it but I have found several baby Robin feather piles and tonight found what must have been a Flicker.

Donna

aahhhh yes the song of....lets get "busy" LOL! Don't think you want your kids around either! ;D OOOHHH sad about the Robins and the Flicker. :(

Ok, I hope you are right. There has to be some babies around yet as mom is feeding them this morning. Dad seems kinda ho hum about it. He took one mouthful of mealworms down to them, I cannot see them I just watch the area they take the worms in. Then a bit later he took one waxworm where normally it is a mouthful of waxworms. Meanwhile mom is frantically going back and forth with worms. She always seems frantic about getting the worms, where Dad always seems calm but today he is just sitting around more than feeding.

Now isn't it a bit late for a second nesting here in central WI, if that is what Dad has on his mind?? The second nesting down at the park just hatched the other day.

Donna

Here is a pic I took yesterday afternoon when I noticed Dad and two babies down by the nestbox. I was hoping mom had the other two somewhere else. They really seem to be keeping them in the general area of the nestbox. Hopefully I can get a glimpse of them again today. I would really like to know if there are still four of them or not. Oh and Dad seems to have stepped up a bit more from this morning as is helping feed more. He was having quite the bad hair day this morning as we got over an inch of rain in about four hours.

Donna

Ok, I am soooo relieved to say I was freaking out for nothing. I just now at 4:00 saw all four fledglings in a tree at the edge of the yard. Whew!! I was sure something happened last night then I was convinced there were only two. Just a little paranoid I guess. We have a huge racoon around and I have no clue if the babies can be in harms way from it during the nighttime. I know they are noisey in the box, no clue if they are noisey while they are roosting at night or not.

I guess I just need to remember every pair is different and we never know what they are going to do. LOL!

Donna

Ok so Donna is going to get some much needed relaxation for a MINUTE! LOL You should sleep well tonight knowing all your babies are fine! ;D Though I never did see my last bunch together all at once I would see both females and both males together, so they had all made it through the first few critical weeks of life!

Hey Donna. Sorry you are so upset. This is what i have noticed from mine. When there is danger the parents will call very loudly either drawing attention to themselves or to warn the babies of the danger and teach them what is an enemy. There may have been a snake, hawk or cat around. Mine do this all the time after they have fledglings out and about. They will also take up different posts and call at different times. I beleive this is to confuse the predator. You will not see a baby or hear one when this is going on. Im sure your babies are safe and the parents are taking good care of them. Birdy blessing to your little blue family.
Bonnie

Thanks Bonnie and Lisa! I guess I am just the freaking out type. This morning I was sure they were gone, left my yard for parts unknown. They didn't come when I called this morning like they always do. I cannot leave the worms out as song sparrows and chipping sparrows will clean the bowl so I took them back in when we left for church. Put them back out later, called again and nothing. Went walking around looking for Monarch eggs and when I came back the waxworms were gone. My husband said they were here when I was gone however I didn't see them until about 12:30 today, to which I quicky ran out some more worms. They come up to the branch by my feeder and sit and watch the house if the feeder is empty, then I come outside to fill it. They fly to my dd's swingset and wait until I go back in the house and then come up to get the worms. It has been terribly windy these past two days, I am sure they couldn't hear me call this morning, just howling wind. Yesterday though the babies were practicing hunting on our side lawn. The parents were sitting on my dh's trailer as the babies flew to the lawn in search for bugs and stuff. I couldn't see them real well and didn't disturb them at all by trying to get closer but it was really neat. I must say I was releived to see them back at the feeder today. OT, Darn racoon broke another suet feeder last night, second one this month! It is a huge racoon and must try to hang from the suet cage as it is breaking the chain on them. I worry about the dogs when we let them out at night to go potty.

Donna

Hmmmm, I'm not sure I would keep offering suet if a raccoon is already going for it. Or bring it in at night, as well as any pet food. Once they find a meal, they will return again and again. You can see that they are very strong, agile and smart. A raccoon would not likely be able to catch a bird on the ground, but if they can climb or leap to a nestbox, it will be very bad news.
Bluebars

Hey Bluebars, we don't have any cavity nesting birds still in birdhouses at the moment, I think the season is done here. Most raccoons that make the mistake of coming into our yard....well let just say they find a new permanent home but so far this one hasn't been out when my dh is around. I do take most stuff in at night but the suet I hadn't been.

Donna