Bluebirds! Season 5. Episode 7. Catastrophe.

(Bereaved?) Tree Swallow, box 18.

Successive days of cold and heavy rain during nesting season. I expected the worst.

Failed box 15

And found it. Dead tree swallow chicks on cold soggy nests in four boxes: 1, 14, 15, 18. I cleared out the nests. Perhaps there's still time to get new broods in.

Tree swallow nestling, box 2.

Meanwhile, other nests (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 17) are still doing fine. Weather permitting, we will have fledglings over the next couple of weeks.

Eastern Bluebird eggs, box 16

And, best of all, the bluebirds have indeed built over the top of the inactive chickadee nest in box 16. We'll have bluebird stories yet to tell this season!