The good news is that 14 Chickadee eggs have hatched out in three of Mariton's nest boxes. The babies in one box looked like they had just hatched, and there was one egg left. That may hatch before next week. It is really exciting.
Tree Swallows have also started nests in several boxes, and are very protective. The pair would fly very close to my head while I monitored the box and snap their bills. It only takes me about 20 seconds to check a box, so I am soon on my way.
The (very) bad news is that all of the Bluebird chicks died. They were in the nests unmolested. I can only assume that they either died of hypothermia or starvation. The spat of cold wet weather that we have had this spring is very hard on baby birds. Parents have a hard time finding enough food for themselves, let alone their young. And if the parents are away from the nest foraging for food, it is tough for the babies to stay warm.