Hi Jim - Perhaps Bluebirds are getting tougher? Last year, for the first
time in the 10 years that I have been helping with the Bluebird Trail at
Pickering Creek there was one clear instance of Bluebirds taking over an
active Tree Swallow nest - kicking out the adult swallows, building on top
of the Tree Swallow nest with at least four eggs and all those feathers, and
proceeding to successfully fledge a clutch of Bluebirds. Usually that
battle comes out with the Bluebirds losing - especially if it is a battle
over which species gets to start its nest in an unoccupied box. Bluebirds
do pretty well in defending their boxes if their nest is built and
especially if they have started egg-laying.
I would be very much in favor of the Bluebirds evolving to a bit
more toughness.
Years ago when I was a youth on a Nebraska farm the Starlings came
in and quite readily booted out the Flickers, even though the Flickers were
the larger bird. Within just a very few years out there the Flickers no
longer put up with that, and the Starlings had to go elsewhere. I postulate
that the tougher Flickers survived and propagated, and the more timid ones
did not. That shift occurred over just a very few years of time at my home
farm site.
LES ROSLUND
TALBOT COUNTY
EASTON, MD
-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jim Wilson
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 9:36 AM
To:
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Third time is a charm?
I checked on a Bluebird nesting box back in mid- March and it had a nice
fresh layer of pine needles. I was hopeful that a Bluebird would lay a
clutch. March came and went and no Bluebird eggs. In
mid-April I found a Carolina Chickadee had built a nest on top of the pine
needles. There were already 4 eggs in the nest.
Yesterday, I noticed a Bluebird flying in and out. I checked the nesting
box and discovered a layer of pine needles on top of the Chickadee nest. A
little rummaging around yielded the 4 now-covered
Chickadee eggs. I guess all that remains is for a House Sparrow to throw
out the Bluebird. Anyone else ever heard of a Bluebird taking over a
nesting site?
Jim Wilson
Queenstown
############################
To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MDOSPREY&A=1
############################
To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MDOSPREY&A=1 |