survey Results 4

2005 Nesting Season Reports

During the 2005 nesting season, we supplied our readers with a set of survey-style nesting reports. In addition, we collected some data on our own from various sources regarding the timing of Bluebirds' first appearances, nesting times, etc. in various locations. The full results of these reports are reproduced below for your information.

Did Bluebirds overwinter in your location? 56.1% Yes; 43.9% No

First sightings by date:
Sevierville, TN – 1/1
Dunwoody, GA – 1/1
Brown County, IN – 1/5
Charleston, WV – 2/5
SE PA – 2/7
Maine, NY – 2/7
Dallas Texas* – 2/2 & 2/20
Central Ohio* 2/13
Springfield. Oregon – 2/13
Mahopac, N.Y. – 2/15
Osseo, MI – 2/15
Georgia* (Social Circle) 2/17
Auburn, Alabama – 2/18
South Carolina* – 2/21
Boiling Springs, SC – 2/21
Pinckney, MI – 2/28
Wilson, NY 2/21
Ohio – 3/4
Tennessee – 3/6
Kansas City, MO – 3/6
Shenandoah, VA – 3/11
Frisco, TX – 3/12
Social Circle , Georgia – 3/15
Rome, GA – 3/15
Deerfield, Ohio – 3/15
Mansfield, OH – 3/15
Dillon, CO – 3/16
Southern WI – 3/21*
Central NY – 3/22*
Cedar Springs, MI – 3/24
Atlantic, Pa – 3/27
Hubbardston, Michigan – 3/27
West Central OH – 3/29 (TRES too)
Lewisburg. Tn – 3/29
River Falls, WI – 4/2
Central MN – 4/1
Greenfield, IN – 4/1
Holton, Michigan – 4/15
Kyle, TX – 4/18
Plantsville, CT – 4/23
Boiling Springs, SC – 4/29
Edmond, Oklahoma – 5/10
Eagle Nebraska – 6/1

First Nesting Reports:
Out of a reported 315 eggs laid, 250 hatched
63 Nestings reported 77.4% resulted in 100% success in fledging
14.5% resulted in complete failure
8.1% resulted in partial success

Nestbuilding Starts by date	First eggs by date	Hatching by date	Fledging by date
Alpharetta, GA – 3/1 Chattanooga, TN – 3/1 E. Tennessee – 3/6 Western NC – 3/6 Auburn, Alabama – 3/8 Yucaipa, CA. – 3/9 Ellicott City, MD 3/11 Dunwoody, GA – 3/11 Cincinnati, Ohio – 3/14 Frisco, TX – 3/15 Manassas, VA – 3/15 PA – 3/18 NJ – 3/19 Mobile, AL – 3/19 SW Mo. 3/20 Columbia, Maryland – 3/21 Redding, Ca – 3/22 Rome, GA – 3/22 North Carolina – 3/23 Charleston, WV – 3/25 West Roxbury, Ma. – 3/27 Lake Quivira, KS – 3/28 Eaton Rapids, MI – 3/28 Cary, NC – 3/28 Pleasant View , Tn– 3/28 Brown County, IN – 3/28 Columbia, MO – 3/29 New Jersey – 3/29* Flushing, MI – 3/29 Pine Grove, PA – 3/30 Hubbardston, Michigan – 3/30 Pinckney, MI – 4/1 Marlborough, CT – 4/2 Lewisburg. Tn – 4/3 Tekamah, Nebraska – 4/3 Frederick, MD – 4/3 MI - 4/4 Deerfield, Ohio – 4/5 White Marsh, MD – 4/5 Osseo, MI – 4/5 Springfield. Oregon – 4/6 Kansas City, MO – 4/6 Shenandoah, VA – 4/8 NE Ohio - 4/8 Sevierville, TN – 4/9 Social Circle, GA – 4/10 River Falls, WI – 4/10 Georgia - 4/11* Upstate SC - 4/11 Boiling Springs, SC – 4/11 Mahopac, N.Y. – 4/15 Newark, DE – 4/15 Lawrenceville, GA – 4/16 Flint, MI – 4/18 Plantsville, CT – 4/23 Kyle, TX – 4/26 Atlantic, Pa – 4/29 Holton, Michigan – 4/30 MI - 5/1 Norcross, Georgia – 5/1 Cortland, Ohio – 5/1 Dillon, CO – 5/1 Eastern Ohio - 5/2 Lockport, NY - 5/5 Edmond, Oklahoma – 5/10 Boiling Springs, SC – 5/12 Eagle Nebraska – 6/6 Mansfield, OH – 6/2	Summerville FL – 2/25 E. Tennessee 3/12 Chattanooga, TN – 3/12 Alpharetta, GA – 3/17 Cary, NC – 3/19 Atlanta, GA - 3/22* (1st BCCH egg on 4/11) Mt. Washington KY – 3/22 Dunwoody, GA – 3/24 Rome, GA – 3/25 Louisiana – 3/30 Yucaipa, CA. – 3/25 Flowery Branch GA* – 3/28 Mobile, AL – 3/30 Central NJ* - 4/1 Brown County, IN – 4/1 GA – 2 eggs on 4/3 S. Central PA* – 4/3 Redding, Ca – 4/3 Central Ohio - 4/3 Lake Quivira, KS – 4/3 Cary, NC 4/4 Frederick, MD – 4/5 Charleston, WV – 4/6 Springfield. Oregon – 4/6 Pleasant View, TN– 4/6 Ellicott City, MD 4/7 Maryland – 4/7 Shenandoah, VA – 4/8 Manassas, VA – 4/8 Columbia, MO – 4/8 North Carolina – 4/8 Auburn, Alabama – 4/9 White Marsh, MD – 4/9 PA - 4/10 West Roxbury, Ma. – 4/10 Cincinnati, Ohio – 4/10 Deerfield, Ohio – 4/10 Lewisburg. Tn – 4/11 Marlborough, CT – 4/11 Livingston Cty, MI - 4/12 Fremont, E. Central NE - 4/12 Tekamah, Nebraska – 4/12 Kansas City, MO – 4/12 Maryland - 4/13 (white eggs) Columbia, Maryland – 4/13 Hubbardston, Michigan – 4/14 MI - 4/14 Eaton Rapids, MI – 4/14 Osseo, MI – 4/14 Pinckney, MI – 4/15 Bernville, PA – 4/15 Sevierville, TN – 4/16 Sevierville, E. TN - 4/16 Flushing, MI – 4/17 Pine Grove, PA – 4/18 River Fall, WI – 4/18 Lawrenceville, GA – 4/20 Social Circle GA - 4/22 Flint, MI – 4/22 Mahopac, N.Y. – 4/23 Boiling Springs, SC – 4/25 Upstate SC - 4/25 Newark, DE – 4/26 CT – 4/28 Kyle, TX – 4/28 Plantsville, CT – 5/1 Atlantic, Pa – 5/7 Holton, Michigan – 5/8 Cortland, Ohio – 5/9 Lockport, NY – 5/11 Edmond, Oklahoma – 5/18 Boiling Springs, SC – 5/19 Dillon, CO – 5/22 Mansfield, OH – 6/7 Eagle Nebraska – 6/8	Summerville FL – 3/14 E Tenn – 3/29 Chattanooga, TN – 3/29 SE TX – 3/30 Alpharetta GA – 4/3 NE FL - 4/5* Atlanta, GA - 4/8* Yucaipa, CA. – 4/10 Flowery Branch, GA - 4/14-15 Mobile, AL – 4/18 Unidentified GA – 4/20 Pleasant View, TN – 4/20 Central KY – 4/20 Brown County, IN – 4/20 Redding, Ca – 4/22 Columbia, Maryland – 4/22 Mahopac, N.Y. – 4/23 Charleston, WV – 4/23 Lake Quivira, KS – 4/23 Maryland - 4/24 Frederick, MD – 4/24 Springfield. Oregon – 4/24 Illinois - 4/25 Ellicott City, MD 4/25 North Carolina 4/25 Auburn, Alabama – 4/26 Willard, MO - 4/26 Columbia, MO – 4/26 Manassas, VA – 4/26 N. Carolina - 4/26 Cincinnati, Ohio – 4/26 White Marsh, MD – 4/27 West Roxbury, Ma. – 4/27 Central OH - 4/28 Lewisburg. Tn – 4/29 Deerfield, Ohio – 4/29 Kansas City, MO – 4/29 Tekamah, Nebraska – 4/30 Fremont, NE – 4/30 MI – 4/30 Flushing, MI – 5/3 Eaton Rapids, MI 5/4 Sevierville, TN – 5/4 Lawrenceville, GA – 5/5 Pinckney, MI – 5/6 Pine Grove, PA – 5/7 Hubbardston, Michigan – 5/10 Flint, MI – 5/10 River Falls, WI – 5/10 Shenandoah, VA – 5/11 Charleston, WV – 5/12 Social Circle , Georgia – 5/13 Boiling Springs, SC – 5/13 River Falls, WI – 5/13 Plantsville, CT – 5/14 Newark, DE – 5/17 Atlantic, Pa – 5/24 Holton, Michigan – 5/26 Cortland, Ohio – 5/26 Lockport, NY – 5/27 Edmond, Oklahoma – 6/1 Norcross, Georgia – 6/1 Boiling Springs, SC – 6/5 Dillon, CO – 6/9 Mansfield, OH – 6/20	SW FL – 4/2 E. TN = 4/16 Chattanooga, TN – 4/16 SE Tx - 4/17 N GA – 4/19 Alpharetta GA – 4/19 S. Carolina - 4/23 Delaware, OH - 4/26 Atlanta, GA – 4/30 Central KY - 4/26 Auburn, Alabama – 4/29 Flowery Branch, GA – 5/2 Yucaipa, CA. – 5/2 Mobile, AL – 5/8 Brown County, IN – 5/10 Columbia, MO – 5/11 Ellicott City, MD - 5/11 Pleasant View, Tn 5/11 Redding, Ca – 5/12 Lake Quivira, KS – 5/13 Cincinnati, Ohio - 5/13 Manassas, VA – 5/13 White Marsh, MD – 5/14 Springfield. Oregon – 5/15 Frederick, MD – 5/15 North Carolina – 5/15 Kansas City, MO – 5/16 Deerfield, Ohio – 5/17 Lewisburg. Tn – 5/17 Eaton Rapids, MI – 5/18 Alpharetta, GA – 5/19 Flint, MI – 5/19 Lawrenceville, GA – 5/21 Sevierville, TN – 5/21 Flushing, MI – 5/21 Pinckney, MI – 5/22 Columbia, Maryland – 5/25 Pine Grove, PA – 5/25 River Falls, WI – 5/28 Hubbardston, Michigan – 5/29 Shenandoah, VA – 5/29 Mahopac, N.Y. – 5/31 River Falls, WI – 5/31 Boiling Springs, SC – 6/1 Social Circle , Georgia – 6/2 Plantsville, CT – 6/2 Newark, DE – 6/4 Edmond, Oklahoma – 6/10 Atlantic, Pa – 6/11 Holton, Michigan – 6/12 Cortland, Ohio – 6/13 Norcross, Georgia 6/15 Lockport, NY – 6/15 Boiling Springs, SC – 6/24 Dillon, CO – 6/27 Mansfield, OH - 7/4

Of those nestings that failed, or partially failed the failure was attributed to
10% Predation 1 snake predation on 5 unhatched eggs; 1 HOSP removed 5 eggs;
15% Weather (5 eggs failed to hatch)
5% Pests (death due to bee stings on 5 hatchlings)
35% “Other"

Details on "Other"

cold weather, abandon nest waited 13 days to remove
According to new fiends on the ?Nut Cafe, the eggs were infertile, and the Mom knew it. We watched her carry 3 of the five out, and we removed the nest and the last two some days later.
5 eggs were laid and hatched - one nestling died early and was removed. the remaining 4 nestlings fledged successfuly.
1st time monitoring trail this season was on 3-30-05. So 1st egg laid was based on hatching date and incubation time frame.
We moved to this new location on April 26, 2005 and I put up a box within a week and not very long after, I had my first blues. I do not know if this was this pair's first nesting or 2nd. Timewise, it might be the 2nd, but it was the first for this pair in my yard.
We really don’t know if they overwinter but believe they do. This pair originally built a 1st nest starting April 5th. The nest was just finished and they were attacked by hosp..The left for a period of time and then came back and rebuilt..the 5 babies fledged. The pair were checking out box and and we believe ready to start a new nest for a 2nd round. Found the female dead in the box on June 15th. Her eyes were pecked out. We definitely believe it was HOSP attack. Don't know the exact date of 1st sighting but the page wouldn't let me leave it blank so just quessed on the date.
Wasn't keeping records when nest was started. Started keeping record after eggs were laid. Found one male dead on June 24th two days after fledging. Found a female injured on same day, took to rehabber. Have started monotoring all boxes on golf Course will have better records of second nestings.
Female EABL incubated for 28 days with no hatchlings. Upon examination, the eggs showed no signs of chicks inside-only liquid so I assume infertility was the problem
Female incubated 25 days, eggs either infertile or some other reason for not hatching. She had new nest mostly completed in box 15 feet away and laid her first egg 4 days after I removed unhatched eggs in first box.
Just before the chicks were to fledge, I found the female drowned in water for our Miniature Donkeys. The male continued to feed them.They fledged, he found another female and the fledglings were not seen after that.NOt a good sign.
After fledging, only THREE nestlings seen. As of today, June 5th, still only three sighted.
2 of 3 fledged on 4/19; #3 was younger, was held back with a reducer and fledged 4/23/05
All 5 fledged, but I think only 2 survived due to a cold spell.
One of the babies seemed to have a weak response when I monitored. Didn't lift his head until I peeped. Could be a weak baby. No other problems noted.
I was not able to monitor this nestbox the entire time. Sometime during hatching and fledging, something happened. When I checked the nest 10 days after hatching, all but 1 baby was gone, and it was dead with a bloated stomach, so I think pesticides did a job on them. Maybe the parents got rid of all but the last baby. When I did check that day, the female left the nestbox as I arrived.
The male disappeared 3 days before eggs hatched. Cause unknown. We have an infrared video camera on the nest box. All 6 eggs hatched by 9:00 a.m. on 5/17/05. All hatchlings appeared viable. Checked again at 3:00 p.m. and only 4 nestlings remained. No sign of predation. Assume 2 of them died for some unknown cause and mother removed them. Helped mother feed by putting out waxworms and mealworms. Another male showed up on 5/23/05. Did not help feed nestlings. All 4 fledged today 6/4/05. Male and female seem interested in starting 2nd brood. Already cleaning up nest box.
House sparrow removed eggs
Infertile eggs
probably snake at one nest. Other nest seems to have totally failed due to bee sting on heads of hatchlings.
Severe cold snap during the first 2 weeks

Second Nesting Reports
34 Reports
160 Eggs Laid
105 Hatched
All nestlings hatched 66.7%
Nesting Failed 23.3%
Some nestlings Fledged 10%

Second nesting begun	First eggs laid in 2nd nesting	Second nesting hatching	Second nesting fledging
SE TX – 4/19 Chattanooga, TN – 4/22 Rome, GA – 4/22 Dunwoody, GA – 4/22 Osseo, MI – 4/28 Alpharetta, GA - 4/30 Joplin, MO – 5/7 Marlborough, CT – 5/8 Mobile, AL – 5/14 Cincinnati, OH – 5/15 Columbia, MO – 5/18 Flushing, MI – 5/18 Charleston WV – 5/20 Charleston, WV – 5/26 Ellicott City, MD – 5/27 White Marsh, MD – 5/28 Deerfield, OH – 5/31 Lewisburg, TN – 6/1 Pine Grove, PA – 6/1 Pine Grove, PA – 6/1 Wexford, PA – 6/1 River Falls, WI – 6/2 Kansas City, MO – 6/2 Plantsville, CT - 6/16 Holton, MI – 6/19 Edmond, OK – 6/30 Collierville, TN – 7/17	Rome, GA – 4/25 Chattanooga, TN – 4/26 Dunwoody, GA – 4/28 Alpharetta, GA – 5/3 Osseo, MI – 5/6 Joplin, MO – 5/12 Marlborough, CT – 5/15 Mobile, AL – 5/18 Cincinnati, OH – 5/19 Columbia, MO - 5/21 Flushing, MI – 5/22 Charleston, WV – 5/31 White Marsh, MD – 6/3 Deefrield, OH – 6/5 Ellicott City, MD – 6/5 (none hatched – HOWR predation) suspected) River Falls, WI – 6/5 Kansas City, MO – 6/6 Pine Grove, PA – 6/8 Pine Grove, PA – 6/8 Lewisburg, TN – 6/9 Wexford, PA – 6/10 Holton, MI – 6/22 Plantsville, CT – 6/25 Edmond, OK - 7/2 Collierville, TN – 7/19	Chattanooga, TN – 5/14 (4 of 4) Dunwoody, GA – 5/15 (6 of 6) Alpharetta, GA – 5/20 (4 of 5) Joplin, MO – 5/28 (4 of 5) Osseo, MI – 5/29 (6 of 6) Marlborough, CT – 6/3 (6 of 6) Cincinnati, OH – 6/5 (5 of 5) Mobile, AL – 6/5 (3 of 5) Columbia, MO – 6/6 (5 of 5) Flushing, MI – 6/7 (3 of 5) Charleston WV – 6/14 (4 of 4) Charleston, WV – 6/18 (5 of 5) White Marsh,MD – 6/20 (5 of 5) Deerfield, OH – 6/21 (4 of 6) Kansas City, MO – 6/22 (5 of 5) Pine Grove, PA – 6/24 (? Of 5) Pine Grove, PA – 6/26 (5 of 5) Wexford, PA – 6/27 (4 of 5) Plantsville, CT – 7/8 (6 of 6) Holton, MI – 7/8 (4 of 5) Edmond, OK – 7/18 (2 of 4) Collierville, TN – 8/5 (4 of 4)	Chattanooga, TN – 5/30 (4 of 4) Dunwoody, GA – 6/2 (6 of 6) Alpharetta, GA – 6/5 (4 of 4) Osseo, MI – 6/16 (6 of 6) Joplin, MO – 6/17 (4 of 5) Cincinnati, OH – 6/22 (5 of 5) Columbia, MO - 6/23 (5 of 5) Mobile, AL – 6/24 (3 of 5) Flushing, MI – 6/25 (3 of 5) Charleston WV – 7/1 (4 of 4) Eaton Rapids, MI – 7/2 (5 of 5) Charleston, WV – 7/4 (? Of 5) Kansas City, MO – 7/8 (5 of 5) White Marsh, MD – 7/8 (5 of 5) Deerfield, OH – 7/10 (4 of 4) Pine Grove, PA – 7/13 (? Of 5) Pine Grove, PA – 7/13 (5 of 5) Wexford, PA – 7/14 (4 of 4) Plantsville, CT – 7/24 (4 of 6) Holton, MI – 7/26 (4 of 4) Edmond, OK – 7/29 (2 of 2) Collierville, TN – 8/21 (4 of 4)

Reasons given for nesting failures:
25% Predation
41.7% Other
(details for Other)

Four eggs were laid but one mysteriously disappeared one day, so there were 3 and of those, 2 hatched and 2 fledged...
Egg destroyed by House Wrens
Female disappeared. Male abandoned nestlings two days later at day 16. Two fledged prematurely before I could get them to a rehabber. 4 safely at rehabbers. 2 fledglings unknown.
The nest and eggs were abandoned. Either they were spooked by workman or the eggs were infertile.
House Wrens suspected. 3 eggs missing, 2 on ground broken 1 day before expected hatching (depredation?)
7.This nest was the FIRST nest in a box, but is so late in the season I would suspect it is actually a third nesting for this pair. The third nesting report would not come up for me, so I put all the info here.
One egg was laid. At first I thought the box was rejected due to a sparrow spooker, but the birds still continued to defend and go in the box. No more eggs followed. After one week I noticed a change in the behavoir of the female. She was not feeding the fledglings from the first nesting, seemed interested in a different box, etc. I believe somethign happened to the mother of the first brood, and that this is now a new female, but do not know what could have happened to the first. After one week, I removed the single egg. The bluebird pair had begun to build more nest ontop of it.
don't know; cat, raccoon, HOSP?
sitting on eggs now
Another infertile batch.
This nesting was optimal tempterature and mom was sitting regularly. Only reason I can think of is there was something wrong with her as she laid 2 clutches of 5 eggs and out of the 10 eggs, none hatched.

Third Nesting Reports
6 Reports
32 Eggs laid
26 Hatched
All nestlings fledged 83.3% (5 nestings)
Nesting failed 16.7% (1 nesting)

Third nestings begun	First egg laid in 3rd nesting	Third nesting hatching	Third nesting fledging
Manassas, VA – 5/22 River Falls, WI – 6/06 Dunwoody, GA – 6/16 Lewisburg, TN – 6/18 Flushing, MI – 6/21 Joplin, MO – 6/22	River Falls, WI – 6/08 Manassas, VA – 6/10 Dunwoody, GA – 6/20 Lewisburg, TN – 6/21 Flushing, MI – 6/24 Joplin, MO – 6/27	River Falls, WI – 6/26 (5 of 5) Manassas, VA – 6/28 (5 of 5) Dunwoody, GA – 7/06 (5 of 5) Flushing, MI – 7/10 (4 of 5) Joplin, MO – 7/12 (3 of 4)	River Falls, WI – 7/14 (5 of 5) Manassas, VA – 7/16 (5 of 5) Flushing, MI – 7/30 (4 of 4) Joplin, MO – 7/31 (3 of 3)

Reasons given for nesting failure:
50% Predation