Well, I counted a dozen bluebirds at one time on a power line outside my front porch. It must have been two broods of the same parents or something. I see them daily even in winter (at least one of them). If there's a decline of bluebirds, I'd say it's a pesticide matter, since they're insectivores.

Nephils, thank you! Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since they fledged and disappeared for a few days. Now the yard is full of juveniles in training with parents. The adults are still feeding them, but it's obvious that they are leading them to food and encouraging independence. This is the first time I have witnessed one leave the box in all our years of having bluebirds. I suspect it often happens around dawn. Poking their heads out was my tipoff that something was happening soon. I hope you get the opportunity to see some. Since a pair of adults is guarding box 2, I believe we will have another brood soon. Dad with juvenile Juvenile discovering the joys of the bird bath Susan

We have been blessed to have bluebirds nest in our bluebird house for several seasons now. When I noticed the male and female tending to the box this spring, I took a photo of the nest which showed 5 perfect bluebird eggs (4/29). Two - three days later we noticed that the pair was no longer tending to the nest. The male began to charge at his image in our windows all day every day. The female could be seen at the suet feeder from time to time but not at the bluebird house. A closer check of the house revealed a clump of pinestraw protruding from the entry and so I checked the nest. It appeared that the eggs had been stolen (by raccoons?) and only a small piece of shell was left. The birds were no longer tending to the nest and so I cleaned it out and the pole was greased with cayenne pepper to deter raccoons. Another few days went by and I noticed that the pair was tending to the box again. I waited a few more days and took a photo on 5/10 of the new nest which showed 4 white eggs in it. Ever since then the female bluebird has been diligent in tending the nest, but the male rarely goes to it. I checked the box again today 6/7 and the eggs have not yet hatched. It seems that the hatching is overdue. Are these indeed bluebird eggs? I will avoid removing anything from the nest but I'm just curious about might be going on here. Any advice? The photo from 5/10 is attached.

Congrats on eggs! Would definitely put up a sparrow spooker now. It's the best known way to keep HOSP from invading. You can make one because it takes about a week to order through mail. The fishing line can stay on all season, but the spooker only needs to stay up from 1st egg to fledge. Sialis site is the best resource. Has helped me many times! Like vamanos mentioned above, the only sure way to avoid HOSP invasion is to trap them. You can get a van Ert trap put into the box the HOSP are interested in & trap them one by one. The DRTS is an even more serious way to trap. Again, Sialis outlines all of this. Biggest piece of advise: don't let HOSP nest with you or you'll never get rid of them. As you probably know, they are not native & have caused many problems with our native birds (i.e.- EABL, CACH, etc). By law you are able to trap them/dispose of them & remove their nests, eggs, & young. I know it sounds harsh, but it's a personal choice. Best f luck! Nicole