Marlene, with all the rain we’ve had, it’s not surprising that your phoebes
took longer than usual to fledge. All nestlings’ development depends on how
well they are fed, so when there’s a scarcity of bugs (as happens in wet
weather), they develop more slowly.
Ann, it’s possible that something happened to your bluebirds’ first nesting
attempt (such as a predator taking the eggs or nestlings) and that the parents
started a new nest in the same box. So don’t despair; they might still fledge.
BTW, it’s o.k. to quietly peek inside nest boxes to monitor what’s going on so
you don’t have these worries in the future.
Alyce Quinn
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
