Can you move the box? I have heard that they may re nest in the same box if you change it's location.

I am so sorry to hear that the wrens killed your baby Blues. They are so sneaky and mean. It just breaks your heart to see the parent birds come back to an empty nest. I know nothing is a guarantee with HOWRs, but I've had luck putting up extra boxes and keeping them busy so they have to keep re-stuffing the extra boxes with sticks. So far they have left my Blues alone.

Lisa, I cannot move the box. The post is cemented into the ground to keep it sturdy.

Kendra, You know, with my 1st brood, a wren DID keep busy with a brand new nesting box I bought to hopefully attract a chickadee. I emptied her sticks out EVERY night after work. I finally got sick of taking care of it, so I put the house in the garage. I wonder if that had still been out in the yard (for the wren to keep filling) if the 2nd brood of babies would still be alive??????

Margie, I had a post all typed up last night and my computer locked up so I just shut it off. I am so sorry about your Blue babies! Are you still seeing the adults and fledglings from the first nest come for mealies? Sure hope so!

Donna

YES, they are still feeding at my mealworm feeder. YAY! However, I think I'm only seeing two of the three fledglings now. Did you say that once your parent Blues ran the male off when the new babies hatched? I'm sure wondering, because all three of the fledglings always came together before. I'm only seeing two at a time now.

Margie

Glad to hear they are still coming to your feeder. Has your neighbor seen them up by his box at all? Just wondering about them trying to renest or not. Timing is just real iffy right now. Yes, once my pair ran off just the 1st nesting male but he did come back after fledgling of the second nesting. Right now I have three fledglings and one day it took me until 2PM to see if all three were there as they don't always come at the same time. Always makes my day to see that all three are there but mine don't seem to stick together much however they do stick around the area alot. Your other one just may be out hunting more that you aren't seeing it. Hopefully you will see all three of them soon, so you know it is ok though.

Donna

So sorry to hear about the loss of the new babies and the last egg. How sad you must feel, because it makes me sad. With all we do, we just can't seem to do everything.

By the way, I had a snake that lay in wait under a bluebird house 2 years ago. All the birds fledged safely, but I took the box down and did not put that one back until this year, so I skipped a year. I found a solar light and stuck it in the top of the pole and it looked quite pretty at night, so the poles can be used by other things than bluebird boxes. I had a successful chickadee group fledge from that box this year and there were no snakes.

Yes, I was terribly sad on Wed. Still am but know I cannot dwell on it. At least I'm seeing the fledglings from the 1st brood come to the feeder. Papa and Mama are OK too.

What does anyone know about Eastern phoebes? I have identified one visiting my yard. It is always alone. Have never had one here before. Seems to be a juvenile.

Margie