Birding/Tiny nest

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Expert: Bluebird Bob Walshaw - 6/13/2008


Question
QUESTION: Hi, Hopefully you can help I have a very tiny bird nest in my tame blackberry row. It had 3 tiny blue eggs that appeared 1 each day. The eggs are the size of little jelly beans. Now I have 3 little birds that have hatched. At first I thought it was hummingbirds until I read their eggs are white. I hope this is enough info for you to solve my mystery. Thank-you!

ANSWER: Not enough info. It could be any one of many. Watch and try to see the parents feeding the babies and contact me again with more info. Also let me know if you have a Bluebird house.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I did see a parent in the nest one day sitting on the eggs but did not get close enough to observe it,you have to move the berry leaves to see the nest, it is sitting on one of the wire panels my berries run thru. I do not have a bluebird house. I live in the country out in Central IL. about 60 miles East of St. Louis Mo.

Answer
If it is small enough to be sitting on a wire it might be a hummingbird nest. Egg colors do vary. Most Bluebird eggs are blue, but about 5% of them are white. See if the nest is made of moss and spider webs. You can carefully clip several leaves to get a better view, and if you set up a chair near the nest and be patient you will get a look at the parents as they come to feed the babies every 5 minutes or so.

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Bluebird Bob Walshaw

Expertise

I can answer almost any question on Eastern Bluebirds and small cavity nesters such as Chickadees, Titmice, Wrens, etc. Also general questions on other songbirds. No pet bird questions please.

Experience

I have had a 100+ nestbox trail for more than 20 years, I do a lot of writing, public speaking and educational work in this field. My hands-on Bluebird talks include more than 1000 people each year.

Organizations
Oklahoma Bluebird Society, North American Bluebird Society, National Audubon Society, Oklahoma Audubon Society, Oklahoma Fur Bearers Alliance

Publications
Bluebird Magazine, Oklahoma Today, Fur-Fish-Game, Birds & Blooms, Nature Society News,Back Woodsman Magazine, Tulsa World, Broken Arrow ledger, Teaching Tolerance magazine,Trappers World, OK Hole Story, Birders World

Education/Credentials
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, Graduate of the Home Study Course in Bird Biology from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Oklahoma Master Naturalist. I am also a pofessional speaker and writer.

Awards and Honors
Chosen as a public speaker for the North American Bluebird Society, Bluebird trail accepted as part of the Transcontinental Bluebird Trail, Chosen as a panel speaker at the 2006 NABS Convention.

Past/Present Clients
Many

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