Unfertilized Bluebird brood nest destroyed

This is the third unsuccessful/unfertilized brood by our Bluebirds this year. We’ve never had unfertilized eggs before, and this year unfertilized eggs in 3 nesting attempts is all we have. Every other year, they’ve been 100% successful in hatching/raising/fledging young – sometimes 4 broods per year! Today woke up to see this – apparently a raccoon? But I was somewhat gladdened to at least know it didn’t happen with a viable set of eggs. ANYONE ELSE seeing unfertilized Bluebird eggs this year?! I don’t know what to do… The only change to the environment this year is that I’ve waited to introduce live mealworms for the eggs to hatch (having done that way to yearly in each previous year).

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology