The Eastern Bluebirds are due to become new parents this week, sometime between Tues and Fri or so, give or take, 12 to 14 days incubation. That began on April 9 or 10, so it won’t be long now! I’m amazed at how fast this month has gone.
The Starlings haven’t been bothering the nest box, but the worst part of it all happens, generally, near the end of incubation, or after hatching, before fledging occurs. We had babies disappear once. That’s enough to show how delicate a balance there is in nature. Baby birds disappearing before they could have possibly fledged is heartbreaking. So diligence in watching the nest is important, but can’t cover every instance of possible danger.
I checked the nest a few days ago, when Mrs. Bluebird left the box for some food or a “rest” from sitting for a few moments. All five eggs looked nice and were warm and cozy in the nice nest Mama Bluebird built. (The nest in the pictures below squishes shorter when incubation starts, due to the weight of the whole situation, so it looks more compact now.)
As soon as I have confirmation on hatching, any, I’ll be sure to report it here!
6 responses to “Time Flies — hatching due soon!”
I can’t believe it’s almost hatching time!!! Time truly does fly doesn’t it?? I can’t wait to hear the good news!!! 😉
I’ve checked the nestbox twice since Tuesday, and the eggs are warm, arranged nicely, with Mama and Papa Bluebird waiting nearby to gain access to the nest once I leave. (I wait until they are not in it before I check it.)
So no hatching yet, but soonly expected, as the dates would suggest, if hatching is to happen at all. In the past the only one egg that didn’t hatch was in a clutch, just one egg, just once. So we shall see!
I’ve checked the nestbox again, yesterday and today, and expected something … but there is nothing happening, just really nicely arranged eggs today, in a circle pattern, cute. Nice and warm the eggs are. Mama and Papa Bluebird still around, and no one else disturbing the nest. So … the count is FULL and it now “overtime”. Fingers crossed (just an expression, not meant as “good luck” or any such similar things. Meant as “I’m hoping with the best of intentions for hatching safely, depending on God that they will hatch if it’s meant to be.”)
As soon as more happens, I’ll post it here. If nothing happens, that’ll be posted eventually. I can’t imagine all 5 eggs being duds though. As long as the Starlings and other nasty neighbors leave the Bluebird nestbox alone, some baby should hatch in the clutch. 🙂
Well, checked the box again today, and yesterday as well, no babies have hatched. The eggs continue to be warm though, and the parents are around. Might be a failed clutch of eggs. I’ll let it go through this weekend or until this weekend, then it’d be best to remove the nest, and the pair of EABL can re-nest if they so desire. 🙁
This is the first clutch totally failed since I began Bluebird-ing. Hope … nah, not that they’ll hatch, it’d be a miracle at this point, with when they were laid, and warm and sitting began, unless some bizarre thing is drawing this out.
12-14 days is past due. So that’s that. 🙁
Miss you Marysue…hope you are doing better and all is well! 🙂
Thanks Tamara. FIL just left after nearly a weeks stay. MIL died in March, and this was his first visit anywhere without her, as well as his first time to us alone, of course, and the first time in a couple of years he was able to travel to us at all (MIL very ill).
It’s been very hot and uncomfortable, or overcast and too humid and threatening rain but not downpouring for relief, just light rain to tease us. 😉 One day it was actually cooler, the house cooled down so much I had to go outside to warm up. That’s saying much when it’s been so hot in and out that I’d have given much just to get cool, I found out fast that I’d rather it be too warm 🙂 (we are doing this without A/C this year, so far)
Well, the Baby Bluebirds did not hatch, I took the nest out of the box this afternoon. I have it in a paper bag, I’m bringing it to church tomorrow to show young and old alike, whomever is interested in seeing a Bluebird nest with eggs. It looks so pristine. It’s so sad they didn’t hatch.
Past years there were always babies, and I monitored them just the same as this year. I’ve seen others reports online, and see that most Bluebird Trails (multible boxes) report many more eggs laid than hatched. As I’ve said before, we had one clutch last year with 4 eggs in it that one did not hatch, that’s the most unsucessful hatching until now, so this whole clutch either wasn’t incubated correctly, or was infertile.
I hope to be back posting more again soon. Times are still hard for me, here and there, and it’s really super tough still some of those times. 🙁