ugh ohh

[Guest]

Was showing my neighbor the operations of my rack this.morning (going on vacation). Lowered the rack and checked a gourd and there was mama looking out at us.

I'm worried we might have scared her off. Already 3 eggs in the nest.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Its best not to lower the housing in the morning, the mothers may be on the nest laying eggs. Its best to do it about 2PM to 4PM...

[Guest]

Hopefully they won't leave.

[Laverne]

Mike, they won't leave. I encounter a nesting Mom on almost every nest check. Look at this photo:

Remember, these birds invest a lot of time and energy into their young (as do most wild creatures). They will defend their eggs and young and they won't be frightened away by you. Most of us here on the Forum are so involved in our colonies that our birds recognize us and accept us as a part of daily life. We even think they "like" us... another symptom of that mental illness called Purple Passion.

[DornCounty]

. We even think they "like" us...

U mean they don't

[D'Nese]

Laverne is so correct and yes afternoon is best time to lower and do nest checks. I did one the other day and a female ASY was sitting on the nest......it's not even built yet. I think she had fought for that spot and no body and I mean no body is gonna make her leave. She stayed there even as I continued to check the other cavities and gourds. I just talked to her calmly and raised up the house afterwards.
I think she might be the mom that scared the dickens out of me last year while doing a nest check. She was sitting on her eggs and I just reached in to feel for eggs. She didn't budge even after I screamed like there was no tomorrow. Same cavity!!!!

Here is the little lady from last year!!!! She was there many times! Quite determined!!!

[flyin-lowe]

The advice above is correct, you want to do the nest checks during the afternoon if possible. This is because the hens usually lay eggs in the morning and they could fly off and you could interrupt that process. The fact that the female stayed in will not scare her off. As the photos above show this often times happens even in the afternoons. The fact that she stayed in is not the reason people say don't check in the mornings it is the chance of "interrupting" them while they are laying eggs. I had one particular female last year that stayed in every time I did a nest check.

[Laverne]

Thank you flyin-lowe. As often as I have tried, and all the different ways I have meant to say it -- I've never said it as well as you did. And I mean that... I think you may have finally gotten the point across... or at least I hope so.

Thanks again and wishing a wonderful season to all.

[richnet12]

Reaching in to check for eggs this year there was something soft in the cavity unexpected this year...it was a martin! She will not leave even when touched. Now she has been laying eggs.