Thursday, June 21, 2012

Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 21st

Five week-old bluebirds
Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer Bluebird Trail monitor:



Six bluebirds fledged in the past week.  There are still plenty of bluebirds in various stages of development on the trail.  One box contains 5 week-old bluebirds; another has 4 two-week-old bluebirds.  The nest in this latter box is so flimsy that the youngsters could easily have toppled out when I opened the door; luckily I opened it very cautiously and not all the way, and the nestlings stayed in the box.  Four other boxes have a total of 12 more bluebird eggs.
 
Today, I was pleased to talk about bluebirds and the bluebird trail, and to be able to show two of the nestboxes to a group of about 15 enthusiastic students in the Community Education Audubon Birding Class.  They enjoyed seeing a nest with 5 bluebird eggs in it, and were also able to view the 5 week-old bluebird nestlings.
 
 Newly hatched tree
swallows and mother, left
The 5 tree swallow eggs have hatched.  With my mirror and my eyes I was unable to tell whether there were hatchlings or eggs under all those feathers.  The camera doesn’t lie:  not only were there recently hatched tree swallows, but mom was in there too!
House sparrow nest
before removal
 
House sparrows have continued to build a nest in the last hanging box, so this week I removed the material.
 
Two other boxes are empty and awaiting new occupants.