I tried to put in the code to make your image show up here, but it gives me an error message that says that image is already posted on the forum. I'm not sure how to bypass that. What you need is the img src tag and beginning and ending brackets, plus quotation marks around the location. I know that won't make much sense, but try right clicking on someone else's image and click on properties. That should show you how to do it. Hope this helps. Really fascinating that you get the white eggs. Is that a Bluebird feather in there with them?

Hi Kathleen- I'll address you since the other posts are old. I am so very sorry that you have experienced this. Did you read what the responses were to the older post of one that lost a bluebird on the nest? I would just repeat everything that they said. If absolutely no sign of injury, I would suspect lawn pesticides, but considering what happened to the 1st person that posted & didn't see signs of injury on her bluebird, it did turn out to be house sparrows. I would highly suspect this. Do you think the female is dead too? If so, again I would be suspicious of HOSP. Answering your question, the male would not starve himself, nor is he able to brood eggs. If the female died too, the eggs wouldn't have hatched because the female is the one to incubate the eggs. She has a brooding patch on her lower abdomen that the male doesn't have. If she is alive, she may not be returning to nest because of the failed nest situation, especially if there was foul play. Make sure you know that she is not returning before removing the nest & eggs. If she is alive, she will probably try to find a new mate. Without repeating too much, make sure your birdhouse is on a pole with a baffle & put a sparrow spooker up after the 1st egg. If you know for sure that the nest has been abandoned & you don't get any activity, you may want to change the location of the box (birdhouse). If you immediately get a house sparrow setting up shop, then you'll know that was most likely the culprit. Again, if female is not returning, now would be the time to get a Van Ert trap for your house to trap the male & female HOSP. If you do, make sure you are monitoring every hour if possible so you don't trap a native bird. They can die in there if without food for too long. One of the previous posts left a website for the Van Ert trap. Again, the previous posts left great advice for your situation. This site is not as active as it used to be for bluebirders, so you may want to post to bluebirdnut.com. Lots of bluebird experts are on that site like this one used to have. That's where I go whenever I need advice. BTW, I lived in Atlanta for ten years (live in AL now). Very sorry to hear about your bluebird tragedy. Hope you'll have another pair come for a future nesting, but definitely get that sparrow spooker!

Hi Judy- So glad you have 4 eggs now! Sure hope they become chicks! Did that egg end up being cracked? My understanding is that if the eggs are super fragile, the female may not be consuming enough Calcium. Don't know if you feed mealworms, but they're high in protein, but low in Calcium. During nesting season, I've been sprinkling my mealworms with calcium carbonate powder. Should help the mom to lay stronger eggs & the nestlings to grow stronger bones & wings to fly. As you have so much experience, you've probably not run into fragile eggs before- don't think they crack very much from what I've heard (unless low calcium, handling, or foul play is involved). Hopefully, your eggs are ok though. I thought one of mine may have been cracked, but it was just a piece of human hair running across it. Thanks for info on nesting cam. Think I'll look into one for next season. What a great experience that must be. Wish you the best with your bluebirds! Nicole

This is a really hard one. I would have to defer to those more expert but the general thought is leave them be until they quit visiting in case it was a late incubation. i personally would be tempted to see if they are warm and candle them but this is probably not really the best thing. We have a time crunch here due to heat which factors in...