Last Sunday was the last day I opened the bluebird nest box until Friday afternoon. Here are this week's pictures! Monday, we had some rain. This is Sialia taking a break on a wet branch. She is scoping out the garden before delivering dinner to the wee ones.
Wednesday, I put the zoom-lens to the test when I spotted Silas across the field, clinging to a tree as he searched for birdie snacks. Around that same time, Sialia brought a spider in for the wee ones.
Thursday, I finally had the camera handy when Silas perched. At dusk, he is often atop the swingset or on the corner of our porch roof, but only for a quick second before he spots the bugs and darts to grab them. It is so hard to catch him still long enough to focus the camera.
Friday, I saw the birdhouse looked a mess. Part of the nest was coming out. Just a few moments after I noticed that, Allen and I spotted a "different" kind of bird on the garden fence. We wondered if it was a fledgling, and just then, Sialia showed up to feed her babe breakfast. (The photos were taken right at daybreak, so they are kind of dark).
I tried walking outside to get a picture from outside our yard. I used the zoom to get one picture of the lone juvenile. Just as I clicked the button, Silas showed up to chase me away. I didn't want them upset, so I didn't get close to the little one and I left quickly when Silas told me to go.
Friday afternoon, I peeked in the hole to see if all the peeps left, and when it was empty, I opened the top and found a big mess. As I was walking back out of the garden, I found a sad, sad pile of feathers and wing parts covered in ants. I was completely heart-broken, knowing one of the bluebird family faced a violent end. I don't know if a hawk got it or something else. I don't know if it was pulled out of the nest box or was caught in flight. I know life happens and this is part of the cycle, but it stinks and it has depressed me a bit.
I don't know whether the feather pile was Sialia or one of the wee ones, but I know we have seen Silas several times, and I think I've seen some of the little ones since I found this mess. I haven't spotted Sialia since then, and none of them have been back to the birdhouse. I hope she is fine, mothering her next clutch, having moved her family from the danger-zone.
After watching the box for two days and seeing no indication that they've been back, today, Allen and I cleaned out the box and disinfected it. Now, we have a vacant bluebird home and I hope we have new nesters soon.
VACANCY!Clean home is move-in ready. Friendly neighborhood (mostly). Beautiful garden view. Bluebirds preferred, but everybirdy welcome who allows photographer to intrude a bit.
UPDATE - 2:54PM - Sialia is alive!! I just saw her on the fence looking like she was wondering what happened to the house...
No comments:
Post a Comment