Sunday, May 1, 2016
Nesting Season Underway in Boyce-Mayview
Apparently, the bluebirds are enjoying the nest box renovations. Pictured below is the view inside of one of the rehabbed boxes. This is an active Eastern Bluebird nest. These eggs will likely hatch within the next week. The parents will be busy bringing insects to their young after that time, so you may see a lot of activity around the box then.
It's best to keep your distance at this time, observing activity with your binoculars so as not to disturb the nesting process. After about 16 days after hatching, the nestlings will become fledglings and leave the nest. They will stick close with their parents as they learn how to navigate the big world outside of their nest. Eastern Bluebirds are prone to "premature fledging," if disturbed at the wrong time in the nest. For this reason, even though I monitor the boxes and will band the nestlings, I will not open the box after the 14th day past the time the eggs hatch. This is why we ask folks to keep their distance during the nesting process.
Check back here for updates, and for more information on how you can submit your sightings to help with research!
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