The Bluebirds Go for Clutch #2

After suffering through one of the rainiest and dreariest Mays on record, our back yard bluebirds have started their second clutch of the year. Bluebirds often will lay eggs up to three times in a given year, starting on subsequent nests almost immediately after the young from their previous one have fledged.

Although only one of the first clutch's five eggs hatched, we're hopeful that this time around, with more cooperative summer weather, our bluebird couple of Eloise and Nathaniel will enjoy greater success. Within a day of baby "Harry" fledging, Eloise had already begun a nest in our other bluebird box, but when Beth removed the first nest, she returned to that box as her favored location and soon had a new nest constructed. (It's very important to remove nests between clutches, as the previous nest can attract ants and harbor bacteria from any unremoved droppings, etc.; the birds know this and will choose another site if the first nest remains.)

As of this morning, there were four eggs in the new nest. More to come...