Nobody Takes The Nestbox
Earlier this week, I was looking out my office window at my backyard when I saw something suspicious. A mottled gray looking bird perched atop my closest bluebird box. Once mom showed up, it didn’t take me long to figure out that my resident bluebird pair had decided to nest elsewhere. It was funny to see the little one sitting on top of the box like he or she knew why they were there. Both the mom and dad came back a few times that morning but it was obvious they were just scoping out the box to make sure nobody else had moved in.
Not Even The Chickadees
The most surprising discovery came the next day when I heard a bunch of young chickadees buzzing their parents in one of my trees to be fed. The formula had been for years that if the chickadees got a mind to build before the bluebirds, they would take this closest nest box. If they dawdled, the bluebirds would take it. This pattern has repeated every year for the last 5 years. Not this time.
So there you have it. Either because they couldn’t stand the pressure of competition, or because they both wanted to spoil my blog story, nobody has taken the box for the first round of babies. I’m hoping that one of them will come to their senses for the next round this year. I’ll keep you posted on their progress.
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Have four bluebird boxes out. Found nests in two today. A box out in the open with no tree canopy nearby had typical bluebird nest with two little blue eggs. A box just at the edge of canopy had Carolina Chickadee (I assume). Assuming Chickadee because the nest was all green moss except for some bits of fiberglass insulation at the top. A bumble bee and dragonfly seemed to be sharing the box. The bee came out, angrily buzzed around us awhile then fly away. The dragonfly hung around in the boxes entry hole the entire time. We left him alone since he, like the chickadees, also eats insects.
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The nest you’re talking about with the green moss is almost certainly a chickadee’s. Although I will say I got itchy just reading about them using fiberglas insulation. Yikes! Have you had successful nests when the parents used that material before? Concerns me.
Dragonfly is no problem but I would make extra sure the bee wasn’t a carpenter bee and that it had burrowed into the wood in the nest because they’ll be back. I’m sure they’re not any friendlier to nestlings than they are to humans.
I am curious where you’re located. I’m in Nashville, TN and have only had my nestboxes checked on. No material added to them as of yesterday. I’ve had chickadees and bluebirds in the same boxes every year with the bluebirds staking claim the last few years. It used to be the chickadees would nest earlier so they would win out over the bluebirds because they’re not that aggressive once they see a nest in a box.