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Re: Failed Nests



Hadn't seen our bluebirds for several days, so on inspecting the nest box
today, I found one broken egg, apparently broken by a bird beak.  The yolk
was still fresh.  Removed the nest which appeared to be a nest atop a nest.
All pine straw except for two tiny white feathers.  I don't know if I should
move the box or just wait and see if the BBs come back.  This box is very
old and has been very popular with bluebirds, titmice, chickadees,
br.hd.nuthatches.  Could any one of those birds be responsible for
destroying an egg?  Please comment.

I would like to add that smoke, as from a little grass fire, can kill
nestlings.  This was brought to my attention when a neighbor burned off a
little a field behind his house.  One of our bluebird houses was in the path
of the smoke which killed all five well-feathered baby birds.  I checked on
them that afternoon as always, and they had all died, bending over backwards
like a five-pointed star.  Very sad.

Last year bluejays threw two chipping sparrow babies from the pine tree
nest.  Both were severely wounded with no chance of survival.  Appeared to
have been stabbed by the jays as both had blood on them and were too young
to move around on the ground.  The parents were in a panic, and made sounds
I'd never heard before.

Nature's ways are just amazing as well as interesting and often cruel in a
human's way of thinking.

Lucille Lentz
ljl@etinternet.net
Ellerbe, NC