[Bluebird-babble] Question

[KathyDressel@aol.com]

Bluebirds will take time in selecting a nest box and finding a mate.  If you 
have only one bluebird, maybe a mate is not in the area yet.  Once bluebirds 
select a mate and a nest box, they still take additional time to pair-bond and 
to court before they start to set up their nest.  I've seen boxes remain empty 
for at least 2 weeks with a pair of bluebirds around them.  They just seem to 
want to play around a while before they get down to the business of family 
raising.  Also, the cold weather we have had may have slowed down the 
nest-building.  Are you sure you have a pair of bluebirds?  Sometimes there may just be 
a male around with no female.  Your boxes may be a little too close for just 
bluebirds, but you may get swallows which are arriving onto their territories 
now.  I would suggest to just watch and see what happens.  Sometimes it does 
take a while for the birds to find your new boxes and they may not all be used 
the first year.  Do not monitor the boxes any more than once a week and do not 
open the boxes if the temperature is lower than 60 degrees or if it is raining 
or very windy.

Kathy Dressel
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