Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 23rd, 2015

Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:

First five bluebirds hatched in Nesting Round 2

The first five bluebirds from the second round of nesting have hatched. There are eleven bluebird eggs in four other boxes. This week, the female bluebird who always sat on her nest was not there. Inside were only two of the five original eggs laid, and those two were more deeply embedded into the bottom of the nest than is usual. I believe the nest has been abandoned and those two remaining eggs are unviable. I also believe that bluebird pair moved to the box “next door” (that had been used by chickadees and was emptied last week). A new bluebird nest was constructed in that box and there is one blue egg in it. Another box had five bluebird eggs in it last week, four were white and one was more blue. The blue one has been rolled to the top edge of the nest this week.

Two of the four tree swallow boxes today were filled with the chatter of week-old and two-week-old youngsters. A female tree swallow sat on her nest in another box, though the young hatchlings should be about a week old by now. The fourth tree swallow box contained a female and her recently hatched young. Two boxes on the trail are empty.

 

Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 16th, 2015

Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:

Six week-old tree swallows

On the trail this week are four boxes with bluebird nests and four boxes with tree swallow nests. The six or seven chickadees fledged and I cleared out their box. I installed a hole reducer on the box claimed by persistent house sparrows to encourage them to look elsewhere. So, there are three empty boxes on the trail this week.

There are 14 bluebird eggs in three boxes. In the fourth box, for the third week in a row, I’ve found a female bluebird on her nest. This is unusual. If her five eggs (laid at least 20 days ago) had hatched I doubt she’d still be on the nest. Her eggs may have failed.

I believe all the tree swallow eggs have hatched, though it is impossible to confirm with all the feathers blocking my view. There could be up to 24 tree swallows in those four boxes. Six of them (confirmed) are about a week old.

Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 10th, 2015

Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:

Tree swallow poking its head out!

Bluebird nesting round two is well underway this week, with a new second nest built, and five more eggs laid in two other nests for a total of seven bluebird eggs on the trail today. In another box, still working on nesting round one, the female bluebird again stayed put on her nest, likely still incubating five eggs.

Tree swallows are incubating about eighteen eggs (probably) in three boxes (one female stays put on the nest making it impossible to count the eggs). Another tree swallow nest may have six hatchlings in it, but with all the feathers, I am unable to tell for sure.

The six or seven chickadees will soon fledge so I did not open their box today. The house sparrows did not give up yet—I removed another nest today. There is still one unused box on the trail.

 

Como Park Bluebird Trail Update: June 4th, 2015

Bluebird on the nest

Post contributed by Sharon, volunteer bluebird trail monitor:
 

Yesterday’s rain made for a soggy day on the trail this morning, but things are going well. At least 10 and up to 12 bluebirds fledged in the past week. I cleared out those two boxes so new nests could be built. The box that had the seven white eggs in it was especially messy for a bluebird nest, so I believe all seven made it. Two new bluebird eggs were laid in a new nest in the box that I reattached last week. In another box, a female bluebird stayed put on her nest with five eggs when I opened it.

The Raptor Center exercised a bald eagle in the park this morning.

Tree swallows occupy four boxes now and have laid a total of at least 13 eggs. One female was on the nest and I could not count her eggs.

The six or seven chickadees have grown well and are now over a week old.

A male house sparrow continues to put a little grass in one box and sing for a mate. The last box is still empty.