Hatchlings Galore -- Western Bluebird Nestbox Monitoring - May 13th, 2017

Saturday 2017-05-13 (4-6pm): I got to see my first hatchlings today! They were surprisingly very difficult to see in the nest! I thought I had a flashlight in my daypack, but couldn't find it ... I will have to make sure I have one next week. But, we were (mostly) able to count the chicks from our pictures.

Box #1: Unchanged, all stick nest, no eggs.
Box #2: Empty.
Box #3: I was surprised that this nest still does not have eggs. I think maybe the Tree Swallow pair moved from here to Box #7.
Box #4: Oh my gosh, there are three tiny, tiny pink bundles. I think they may have even hatched just today. The Western Bluebird parents were seen very close by, as well as entering the box. Predicted fledge date maybe June 1?

Box #4 ... You'd never guess what's inside.

Box #4. Western Bluebird hatchlings, probably 0-1 days old.

 

 Box #5: Empty.
Box #6: A Tree Swallow adult remained on the nest even after the box was opened. We closed the box and retreated, and the bird then exited the box after about 30 seconds. We then re-checked the box and there were broken eggs shells, plus 5 very new hatchlings! Predicted fledge data maybe June 1? The Salmon Creek Tree Swallow Project has a great website with lots of good information on Tree Swallow nestlings.

Box #6. Protective parent Tree Swallow.

Box #6. I think there are 5 chicks, 0-1 days old.

Box #6. Feed me!

Box #7: Again, a Tree Swallow adult remained on the nest even after the box was opened. But, the bird flew out after about half a minute. There were 5 white eggs.

Box #7. Tree swallow nest.

Box #8: It was very difficult to see, especially with all of the feathers. My Dad very carefully pulled some of the feathers to the side, to find 4 hatchlings and what looks like 1 still-intact egg. Tree Swallows were seen returning the box after we retreated.

Box #8. Difficult to see .. maybe 4 hatchlings, 0-1 days old.

Box #9: It was incredibly difficult to see -- the inside of the nest just looked like a mass of grey feathers ... of 4 or 5 nestlings. From the pictures, there are lots of new feathers coming in, from which I'd estimate age at about 11 days? My revised earliest fledge date prediction is now 5/19. The Bluebird pair were seen bringing food to the box many times (they are still going inside the box to feed). "From Egg To Emtpy Nest" is a good photo montage showing the chick development after hatching.

Box #9. Nestlings are not readily apparent ... until you look closely with a light.

Box #9. Lots of new feathers on these chicks ... just a tight ball of grey feathers in the nest.

Box #10: Still the same half-finished nest, with no eggs.