Bluebird mystery & questions...

[dockothebay]

For the first time in more than 35 years we had a pair of bluebirds show up in late March!

By early May, Mama was sitting in the nest - (cruddy picture, but you get the idea!

Then we were gone for a week and when we returned no bluebirds around at all, but the eggs were in the nest.

Gone again, and this morning when I checked the nest - no eggs!!! or shells or debris of any kind!!

I'm kind of assuming the adults fell victim to a hawk or even a cat, but what the heck happened to the eggs?? Could a raccoon have gotten them out of the nest without leaving a mess? It is pretty accessible where it's posted and we do have the occasional raccoon cruise through the yard.

So, not should I clean out the box or will I have the chance to attract more bluebirds for a second hatch? The wrens are around the yard today too, they used this box last year. Maybe we need to move the box too.

[IA4PATS]

I know some snakes love eggs and they swallow them whole, but I don't know if any snakes around the midwest do that.

[CFRay]

I have had bluebirds nest in my Petersen style boxes three times. Twice the nesting was successful. Once I believe the neighbors cat(that they let roam all night) climbed the post and cleaned out the babies. I too have read that garter snakes will take eggs if they can get up to the nest.

Clean out the old nest. Bluebirds like a fresh start, wrens and sparrows do not care. It is fun when it works out.

Nice feeder in your photo. I started feeding mealworms last summmer and it took until just a week ago for me to see bluebirds at the feeder. No nests in my yard though this season.

[dockothebay]

Thanks CF and IA4 - I will clean the box out. We were feeding mealworms right after we saw them the first time and we could put the worms out, clap, and within 2 or 3 minutes the bluebirds were here eating. Someone on this site suggested that - I can remember who it was but thank you too! We don't have many cats around, but I have seen the same one hanging around the yard 2 or 3 times this spring. Would love to have another pair show up!!

[WDH]

A coon would have made a mess of the nest when takeing eggs out. Most like your birds were killed by a cat. The eggs I would say would be one of the two, house sparrow or the house wren. Both will remove eggs.

http://www.sialis.org/hosp.htm#recognize

This is the best site that I have found for blue birds.

[dockothebay]

Thanks WDH - and thanks for the hint about providing a cue when the food is set out. It did work and was pretty cool. Will check out that HSOforum -- and try again!

[IA4PATS]

Wow. Didn't know sparrows were that mean. Won't look at them the same