So much has happened since I posted the last bluebird stories. I think I will let the pictures tell most of the story. The egg-pictures were taken April 7th through 12th.
On Tuesday, April 12th, two of the eggs started showing signs that babies were coming! There were protrusions and small cracks showing, but I didn't see any birdies when I checked at dinnertime. I went out with some friends that evening, and I didn't check them until breakfast the next morning.
On Wednesday, April 13th, just after sunrise, I could peek in and I saw two squirmy little birds and three eggs. Unfortunately, it was too dark for a photo and I didn't want to use the flash. By 8:30, the third little one joined the family.
And the fourth hatched sometime before 9:30am.
The part that was really fun for me is that one of my dear friends was having her baby boy at 9:30 that morning, too. The fifth egg did not hatch... a bit sad, but the other four seem to be growing quickly. I am not a bird expert, but they seem to be doing well -- they are all breathing, moving, cuddling, sleeping, and their skin is thin enough I can see their pulses are all strong.
Thursday, April 14th
Friday, April 15th, held a great surprise. When I went to the nest box, Sialia was still in it. I probably started her and she was playing dead, but I was amazed that she didn't move at all. You can see the fifth egg in the photo, but the rest of the babes are underneath her. It is hard not to wonder what she is thinking or feeling about what I've started calling #5.
Later, that day, I was hanging out the window snapping pictures of Silas when Sialia joined him on the branch. She had been out getting food for the wee ones... I know this because I saw the bug wiggling in her beak.
Saturday, April 16th, was a busy day for the Kaiser family, but I made time to peek in on the little birdies. It is amazing how quickly they are growing, getting darker gray skin, and sprouting gray fuzzy feathers.
Sunday, April 17th, I thought the fifth egg may have been removed, but when the little ones started squirming I spotted it underneath them. Now I have a dilemma -- I've read on bluebird sites that it is best to remove unhatched eggs so they get broken by the birds. They can breed bacteria that are lethal to the babies. Just when I was prepared to do that, I discovered that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act says it's illegal for me to mess with an active bird nest. For now, I'm not doing anything... I really hope Sialia will take care of it so I don't have to decide.
They are starting to get a little bit cute, and each day they look more like birds. I have about another week to take pictures of the nest, but then I have to stop. After they are 12 days old, I am not supposed to open the box or they may try to fly before they are ready to do so.
I have been noticing two mockingbirds in the garden lately. They keep taking coconut fibers from the liners of my hanging baskets, so I suspected they were working on a nest. I started snooping Friday because I kept seeing them near our front porch. I was surprised and thrilled to find a house finch nest with four little blue eggs. It is in the evergreen tree next to our front porch. It has been three days, and there are still four eggs. I plan to watch it and take pictures daily.
Saturday, Allen dragged me outside to show me another surprise. He found a nest in another tree at the front of our house; this time, in the tree next to the garage. The mockingbird nest had two eggs in it yesterday, but we already have a third egg. I am excited to have these two families to watch grow, too!
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