Garden

[Dazlin]

@NickNack ...thinking of you, wondering if your babies fledged?     My house in the driveway is active...I see the parents, probably mother fly out when I walk by, or garden nearby.   I haven't opened it since I saw the 5 eggs.  Seems to be progressing.

[NickNack]

@Dazlin   I think they fledged yesterday but am not positive.  There was lots of activity around the box yesterday.  I just went to the box and listened for babies and didn't hear anything.  

I've seen at least one of the bluebirds around today but haven't seen any babies.  The last time I had a nest box I would see the parents feeding the babies.

I'm going to watch and make sure the parents aren't still going into the nest box before I clean it out.

Edited to say:  Now I don't know what to think.  The mama bluebird went in the box and then left in a minute.  Then the male bluebird went in for a minute and left.

[Dazlin]

@NickNack , maybe there's still one left.  You'll know when you don't see the parents at all.   Idk if you remember, but the last time here I saw the male take a mealworm to the opening of the house, peeked in, and flew off with the worm.  I couldn't understand why he did that, but then I realized he probably checked to see if one baby was left, and since apparently they all fledged he took off with the worm.  After that I didn't see any activity at all.  The next day I waited to check, and sure enough the box was empty.  It's really amazing what they do.

[NickNack]

@Dazlin   Do you see the babies now that they've fledged?

[Dazlin]

@NickNack , I haven't seen the babies.   I'm seeing bluebirds  but honestly idk what the babies should look like...Blue like the parents,  smaller??   

[NickNack]

@Dazlin   Babies are smaller than the parents, and I'm thinking they aren't quite as blue yet.  They would have their mouths open most of the time sitting next to a parent begging for food.

[NickNack]

@Dazlin   Here's a picture I got from the internet.

[Dazlin]

@NickNack , I don't think I saw them, but the other day there were 2 small birds on the nest box...that may have been the babies.  I looked out my bedroom window and saw them, but I just thought maybe sparrows,  I didn't look to see if there was any blue on them.   I looked up pics too, so now I'll be more attentive.

[NickNack]

@Dazlin   I wasn't sure when the final egg was laid, but from my estimation fledging would have been May 12 - May 18.  I'm going to try to watch a lot today.  There's still pretty much activity at the box, but the male isn't sitting on to of the box all the time like he used to.

[Dazlin]

@NickNack , it doesn't matter when the last egg was laid...the mother doesn't start to sit until ALL eggs are laid, this way they hatch at one time.  Could be hours within each other, but usually all in one day.  But I get what your saying...I know you said you couldn't see in the box, so you're not sure when the laying was done.   Either way, it sounds good there because you see the parents taking care.  I'm excited to hear back.