Hi:

I have been BB box watching for years. This spring, however, I am perplexed. I have a small back yard with two BB boxes on poles. Normally, a pair of BB builds in one and a different species builds in the other. I have never had any problems with the BB process...until now.

A pair built a nest, mama laid 4 eggs. Half way through the time period that she would have been sitting on the next, I noticed mama and daddy going in and out of the second BB house. I have been watching the last few days and see that they are building another nest. I thought maybe it could be a decoy nest. BUT, I am also watching the box with the 4 eggs. There is no visitation by either the male or female. So, according to the time table, the babies should have starting hatching this past weekend. Nothing so far.

Do you think this is the same pair building the new nest and for some reason, gave up on the 4 eggs? Or could this be some other pair who drove out the original. I have not yet seen more than one male or female at the same time, so I can't say if there are more than one pair.

Sorry this post is so long, it's just that I have googled this and can't seem to find this same exact circumstance on any other forum.

Thanks for any input!