Expert: Bluebird Bob Walshaw - 6/20/2011

Question
QUESTION: We live in a suburb of Boston. Two days ago I spotted a small, perfect little nest hidden in a holly bush by our front door. Only one little light blue egg. Since discovering it, there are no more eggs and I haven't seen any parents near it, although lots of blue jays in the area. Why no more eggs? Where are the parents? Is everything okay? Is is a bluejay?

ANSWER: Not enough information to identify. Watch and hope that the bird comes back. Birds have many predators, hawks and owls have to feed their babies every day. Usually when a nest is abandoned the female has been killed. Also Blue Jays usually have big bulky nsts high in trees. Keep watching. Are there Bluebirds and Bluebird houses in your area? They are cavity nesters, not open nests. Bluebird Bob Walshaw.

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QUESTION: I am very surprised and excited to say that today, at least 4 days after we found the first egg, there is another beautiful little blue egg in the nest. So I guess it is not abandoned. Also, made a mistake. I think it's a bluebird, not a bluejay. There are lots of bluebirds around, but I still have not seen any birds near the nest.

Thank you very much for being there!

ANSWER: I doubt that it is a Bluebitd as they always nest in cavities. There are other birds that lay blue eggs, Robins for example. Get a bird book from the library or buy one, and then you will know. A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America is a good one. Please use my email address if you have more questions. walshaw1@cox.net

You live in a good state. I went to college there and lived there for 30 years - Lowell, Franklin and Winchester. Bob.

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QUESTION: Okay. I have never noticed any nests before and now I have discovered another one: this time at our house on Cape Cod. I will try and be brief: They are robins. First there were four eggs and when I saw them the next week there were only two eggs. The next day the two eggs hatched. Mom was caring for them the first day. Then, the next day I notice one of the babies is on the ground. I put him back in the nest and all seemed fine again. Then he's on the ground again. This time I fear he is dead, but I put him back in the nest anyway. An hour later both he and his brother are both on the ground. Seems like both are now dead. I buried the first one (the smaller of the two, I can tell them apart) and put his brother back in the nest although I fear he may also be dead. I am sure he is dead although minutes earlier he was thriving in the nest.  Mom during this time had been back and forth from the nest. Now... Mom comes back and dismantles the whole nest and leaves the dead baby there with just some scarce remains of the nest. Finally buried the second bird. I was devastated.

What the heck happened? It almost seems like Mom killed both of her babies?! Did they keep falling out of the nest or did she push them out? Did mom get spooked because I put the first dead one back in the nest? And why were there originally four eggs but in the end only two, with no sign of the other two eggs? Is mom the Casey Anthony of the bird world?

On a happier note, they were also robins at my house (in Wellesley). There were three live births, one each day. But I just arrived home after being away for three days. It's night but I turned on the outside light. The nest is empty! The oldest baby was only just seven days old? I hope they come back tomorrow. Perhaps I scared them, but how could the babies fly at 5-7 days old? My husband says perhaps a predator got them?!

I have become obsessed with these birds.I won't sleep waiting to see if they are back in the morning. Where did they go at less than a week old?

So, I have two different robin nest questions here. Please help Bob! I am just sick over the whole thing.

Answer
This is not unusual and Robins are especially vulnerable with their open and very visual nests. Many birds take their eggs (snakes too) and throw babies out. Think house sparrows and House Wrens as well as other birds. Also the mother did not destroy the nest - this was probably a raccoon or even a squirrel. And many times we just don't know.

Robins compensate for these problems by having many young - sometimes two or three families, and there are a lot of robins. They are one of our most common birds. Don't be sick over it- it is a normal part of nature - competition, predators, etc. These things work to keep the species strong. The smarter and stronger survive to breed the next generations. Bluebird Bob Walshaw, NE OK.