So sorry this happened to you & your bluebirds! Here you are using extra precautions by adding the baffle & something still happens. How many eggs were in there? How often were you monitoring? I'm not speaking from experience, but from what I've read, the first thing that comes to mind is a snake since the nest isn't disturbed & all the eggs are gone. Of course, I don't know where you're located geographically. The reason why I asked how often you were monitoring is to determine if eggs were taken at different times or if they were all taken at the same time. It could've been HOWR or HOSP, but it seems like you'd see remnants of the eggs below the box. Also, if it were a HOWR or HOSP, you'd probably see them claim occupancy. Are you seeing any competitor activity? If you determine that it was a HOWR or HOSP & you get more bluebirds in future, I would put up a wren guard or sparrow spooker after the first egg has been laid. Regardless, I would clean nest out of box (may have already done) so hopefully a desired pair will take up residency soon.

Saying a little prayer that it all works out!

Actually, I've just read that you could leave the nest in the box since it's unused unless you have HOSP or HOWR's trying to occupy.

I wrap my poles with deer fencing. The snakes get caught in the mesh & they cant get in the house. Of course you have to decide what to do with the snake, I caught 2 wrapped around each other trapped in the mesh. Tried getting them loose, but couldn't. Was able to throw them in a creek bed close by.. I know they wouldn't survive, but at least I saved the birds in the nest.

Hi mlandis24-

If you get this message & you are able, could you post a picture of how you wrap the pole? I've heard of this before. Thanks.

Nicole

not good at uploading pictures. Just go to someplace like Home Depot & buy deer fencing or bird block netting. Wrap it all the way around the pole, making sure you leave the birdhouse uncovered. I'll try to figure out how to send a pic.

Just went out to check on the nest. All but 2 eggs were gone & they were smashed. I took the nest out, but the BBs are still going in & out. I put the nest back in to see what happens. Have been watching for other birds getting in the house, but haven't seen any, just the BBs. Don't know what happened to the eggs. No snake could have got in. Do you think they will rebuild the nest & lay more eggs>

Do you think I should take out the remaining nest & see if thy rebuild? I have 2 BB houses so maybe they will go to the other one. Just sick about the eggs. I'm thinking I should take the remaining nest out.

After some investigating, it seems as though a squirrel got in the box. Since then, I put a guard over the hole. My other problem is they have started nesting in my other box which has a slot opening. The slot is up at the very top of the house. Don't know if that will be harder for them to get in. Also have a baffle on the pole. The pole is very close to a fence which I think would be very easy for a squirrel to jump onto the roof. I am going to see if I can attach a metal guard to the entrance. Will have to try to figure this out. Thanks for the comments.

Mary

Hey Mary- A squirrel makes sense. Is it possible for you to move the pole/baffle/box further away from the fence so nothing can get on top, but still keep it in the vicinity? I would think that they would still nest there. Then, you should be in pretty good shape.

If you don't mind, could you let me know if you wrap the deer fencing loose or tight?

Glad to know that they're still with you. Best of luck!

Nicole

The deer fencing should be fairly loose as the snakes will get caught & tangled up. I fixed the house with the hole. I put a guard on it. The birds are now using the house with the slit at the very top, under the roof. There is no guards made for that. As soon as I know they have eggs, I will put a baffle. Don't know if the squirrels can get in that slit or not. I'm thinking about putting a strip of carpet tack on the top edge to keep anything that will crawl on the top. Thanks for your response.

Mary

This is my snake guard. After losing two nests this year so far so good... I keep praying though....

That should work. Haven't had any problems since I put that netting around the poles. Found out a chipmunk got in the 1st nest. BB went to my other house & successfully fledged 4 babies. Now have a 3rd nesting with 4 eggs. Just waiting for them to hatch.

Mine have done great with this setup. Praying they fledge Thursday. They are 14 days old and not peeking is killing me! Mom and dad delivered tons of mealworms tonight so I know they are OK but still....

Weird thing is I haven't caught any snakes. Maybe word got out that my yard isn't good for them.

i know I'm not out of the woods and worry constantly...

I have a 3rd nesting with 5 eggs. Eggs have been in nest for 10 days. Not sure they are fertile. MomBB isn't sitting often. Have seen DadBB feeding her on occasion. Will keep watch, but not sure this is going to be a viable nesting. Maybe will wait awhile then candle them.

Hi Mary- I sure hope those eggs are viable! I remember your heartache from earlier this season, but glad they had a successful 2nd nesting. You may be surprised- those Mama's can be sneaky sometimes. If you're not sure if she's incubating them, try dotting them with a marker to see if they move before candling them. Really hope they hatch & do well!

Nicole

Checked nest today & babies are hatching. Will keep track & report if they fledge.

Yay Mary! I had a feeling! Not sure how warm it is- try to shield from heat if necessary. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I have another problem. I know there a baby BB, but I haven't seen parents feeding them. I checked the nest & they seem to be alive, but don't know what is wrong. I ran out of mealworms so I'm going today & get some more. I hope I haven't done something to scare the parents away.

I bet you are just missing seeing them feed! Fingers crossed! It's been such a rough year for so many of us!

I don't thinks it's possible for a person to scare them away. Praying mom and dad are OK and just sneaky....

Went to the bird store to get mealworms & talked with the lady there. She told me to take the nest out & check the birds which I came home & did. There were 4 dead babies & 1 egg that didn't hatch. Don't know what happened that caused them to die. The egg that didn't hatch just had yellow fluid in it. The babies couldn't have been very old. Just so disappointing. This was their 3rd nesting so I doubt they will nest again this year. Hope I have better luck next year.

Awe. so sorry for the heartache. You are truly not alone. It's been a rough year!

I'm not kidding when I say that. My first two broods were killed by snakes. so blessed to have had success on the the third try.

Oh, Mary. I hate to hear that! So sorry! Does seem like it's been a "miss" year for several & their blues. Hope parents are ok. So bummed for you!

I would like to know if anyone has an explanation as to why hatched babies would die. Would the parents have thrown the dead babies them out? The last egg never matured. The dead babies looked very young, maybe just hatched. Could the parents have thought there was something wrong with them? Just stumped!

Pesticides?

That would be my number one guess :(

Hi Mary- were the babies on the ground or in the nest when you found them? Let me know & I'll give my speculations (or try). If they were inside the nest, like Lisa said, pesticides are likely. Heat is another possibility this time of year. If outside of nest/box, then that could be a whole different story. So very sorry!!!

They were in the nest along with 1 egg that just had fluid in it.

Hi Mary- the only other possibility that I can think of is if something happened to one of the original mates & the remaining one found a new mate, the new mate will rarely have anything to do with the eggs/babies since they weren't their offspring. In this case, the new mate often steers the original mate away from the eggs/babies so they can try to produce their own (may not even try to produce since it's late in the nesting season). I would think it would be one of those scenarios.

Research shows that it's about 10 degrees hotter in the box than it is outside. If it's in 90's, it could be too hot for them. Hatchlings can't regulate their own body temps for first 6 days. Risk would be same if too cold at beginning of season. If lawn pesticides (could be neighbor's if yard is close), babies are usually bloated. Did you notice anything unusual with them? Bloating or markings? Those are my only thoughts. Such a bummer & so sorry!

Again I am so sorry for your blues. This can be such a heartbreaking hobby! Not relaxing at all lol.

I didn't notice any markings or bloating. It was really hot when they hatched, so maybe the heat just got them. I have seen both parents since, so they are OK. I have another house they have nested in before. I left the nest in it, & the male was trying to get the female interested, but it's a no go for her. She's done. Thanks, for the in put.

I'm in south Alabama and I was worried about the heat with this really late nesting that fledged last week. I don't know how they made it.

The house was placed really badly too. Way too much sun. I moved it but hope they are done.

Don't want mine to nest again either. It's just too hot now. I'd worry even more!

I had three eggs 2 days ago and today all three are not in the nest, so sad to have this happen nest is not disturbed at all.....adult blue birds are still around close to the nest eating mealworms in feeder close to the nest. I need to baffle the pole but what else do I need to do? No broken eggs shells on the ground.....so upsetting to have this happen What can I do ?