But this time I made a map of the nest boxes. Isn't Google earth the best!! I use it many days a week for work and for things personal too.
Summary
Nest Box 1: Super star bluebirds. Babies near fledging.
Nest Box 2: Tree swallow with four eggs.
Nest Box 3: Tree swallow with five eggs.
Nest Box 4: Tree swallow with six babies. (1 baby missing)
Nest Box 5: Bluebirds attempted nesting. Found female dead from apparent egg impaction. She was laying giant blue eggs and I think the last one could not pass. The females body was rotten at the back end and it was strangely swollen.
Nest Box 6: NOTHING!!!
Nest Box 7: Eggs laid and abandoned.
The baby bluebirds are only days away from fledging now and I can only hope I get another set of pictures before they are gone away. Baby tree swallow in nest #4 need more time but there are boxes #2 and #3 which have yet to hatch eggs.
And I took a little video of the babies since it is hard to do them justice with only the photos.
Warning: I am not Steve Irwin of the Crocodile Hunter fame. I so miss him. I cried sporadically for three or four days when I found out he died. My narration skills leave much to be desired but at least you can see more of the little babies.
I had a cute little edited version of the nest box patrol and it WOULD NOT upload for any amount of my efforts. So here are the clips individually since THEY were not so fussy. The box numbers correspond with the map above.
Nest Box 1: Contents are four baby bluebirds.
Today when I checked this box one baby flew out and landed in some grasses. The parents were quick to follow. Later on the baby was flying around and landed in a tree when I was out feeding the horses. I just happened to see it fall into a ground squirrel hole. I plucked it out and put it back in the box. He can just jump out when he feels like it tomorrow. I just could not justify his being eaten by a ground squirrel on his first day out. And yes, given the chance they would eat a baby bird!
Nest Box 2: Tree swallows.
Nest Box 3: Tree swallows.
Nest Box 4: Six tree swallow babies.
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11 comments:
Good job one handed! That is so cool you get to see those babies grow! I can't believe how many swallows are in that tiny little nest. How sad about the mamma bird died!
So I used to hear that if you touched the eggs or nest of a bird that the mamma could smell your pressence and won't come back to take care of her babies, this must not be true right?
Julia, my kids really enjoyed watching the videos. It's a shame that mama bluebird didn't make it. :0(
Thanks for sharing these!
That was amazing. Thanks for the tour of the boxes. BTW - one of my friends swears that Steve Irwin saved her life. She watched his memorial service and then took a shower. While in the shower she tucked her hands into her armpits and discovered that she had a lump! Yep, her breast cancer was back. She is in remission now - second round.
Squirrels, ground squirrels, and even prairie hogs sure will eat up a little birdie. How sad about that mama bird. Nature sure seems cruel sometimes.
Great videos!!! Loved hearing the stories. We had a robin lay eggs in the kids treehouse, but my cats got the bird, then a wind storm knocked the nest down. Maybe next year.
Wow! I love, love, love that you did this. Amazing. I have fledging baby blue jays tapping at my window as I type this. I have to get outside! :)
Thanks everyone!! And no touching the birds will not cause parental rejection Pooba. Spring is so much fun! :)
I loved the videos, Julia. You've inspired me again. I'm GOING to figure out how to make nest boxes in time for next spring.
A great tour at the nests. I like the map and the videos. I like the way you can open the boxes with just a pull of a pin.
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Hey babe.. I might be on vacay BUT I still gave ya props on the Nuggets today.. HUGS.. WISH YOU WERE HERE!!
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