If the field mice haven’t tried to reclaim their squatter rights today, the bluebirds might have a dry place in their birdhouse to spend the night.
Bluebird Claiming House
Picture of the Day for December 5, 2015
The spring flowers are not the only thing which involves a four or five month waiting period to see again. The non-wintering birds will spread their return dates out over several months and some of the early arrivals may have to deal with some late snow showers before they build their nest and start raising their young. It is a rather tough for bluebirds to find insects to feed their young when the ground is covered with snow.
Bluebird Bringing Lunch
Picture of the Day for May 16, 2015
I interrupted a pair of bluebirds while I was taking apple blossom pictures when I got too close to the birdhouse where they were feeding their young. But the splash of blue color looked pretty among the white and pink blossoms and new green leaves while they waited for me to leave the area.
Bluebirds Amidst the Blossoms
Picture of the Day for March 21, 2015
I couldn’t find any wildflowers yesterday to mark the start of spring but a bluebird was singing notifying me of his return from his winter vacation. So I cleaned out the bluebird houses, which meant evicting numerous squatters whom some would not vacate very easily and may take some more convincing before they decide to move on. And then there were houses where the squirrels enlarged the opening to get inside. I have plenty of hollow oak trees for the squirrels so they are wearing out their welcome by wrecking my birdhouses, eating the bird seed and peeing on my screens.
The bluebird may have headed south since a cooler morning but the cardinal is singing up a storm but I not too sure the female is listening. But I just heard a robin so now it can snow three times this week and spring will be officially here.
Return of the Bluebird
Picture of the Day for June 11, 2014
When I was mowing yesterday, I scared up a little bunny and it was cute. Course those cute bunny rabbits grow up and eat my garden so it was a good thing I wasn’t mowing at my place, especially since I later scared up a little black kitten a few mowing passes later and then a mommy cat. And again, good thing not at my place! But I did chase up a deer when mowing my yard and they do eat my garden.
Besides the four legged critters which I kept interrupting with my mowing, I also bothered the feathered kind too and scared various mothers off their nest including a bluebird. The Eastern Bluebird female makes a nest by loosely weaving together grasses and pine needles, then lining it with fine grasses. After the female lays her pale blue eggs, only the female incubates the eggs (when I wasn’t scaring her off the nest that is).
Bluebird Nest and Eggs
Picture of the Day for June 2, 2014
Monday brings another start of a work week but the male Eastern Bluebird has his work done building a nest for his new family already. He brings a couple pieces of building material to the nesting box and goes in and out and fluttering his wings and catches the eye of a female to his nesting site. After that the female does all the work, building the nest with grasses and pine needles. I noticed the male would inspect her progress every once in a while and she would have to push him in the butt when he was blocking the hole while she was making her numerous trips for material. He even dropped a pine needle back outside after he went inside once and I wondered if he got scolded for messing up her work.
Male Bluebird Inspector
Picture of the Day for April 8, 2014
Hint of spring is in the air, at least the singing of returning birds can be heard, like the red-winged blackbirds, killdeers, robins and the sweet sound of the Eastern Bluebird.
Soon, when the female bluebirds arrive, the male will put on a display at the nesting boxes. He will bring nesting materials, usually dry grass, into the nest and then perches on top waving his wings. And that is about his only contribution to the nest building as the female does the nest building and incubating the eggs. But I have seen the female reject the male’s nest choice and he has to go house hunting some more.
Return of the Bluebirds
Picture of the Day for May 5, 2013
The bluebirds are probably wondering why they came north when it keeps snowing in May but at least the snow has melted off the branches so they have a dry place to perch. Most years they would have their nest built and sitting on eggs by now but it has been rather chilly for that. I did see a pair of bluebirds checking out the birdhouses before the last snow.
The male Eastern Bluebird ‘shows off’ at his nest cavity to attract a female. He brings nest material to the hole, goes in and out, and waves his wings while perched above it. That is pretty much his contribution to nest building; only the female Eastern Bluebird builds the nest and incubates the eggs. But at least he does bring food to the babies so that the female doesn’t have to do all the work.
Chilly Bluebird
Picture of the Day for October 17, 2012
The bluebirds were gathering at the pond on a cool evening and this one was trying to catch the last rays of the setting sun on his back.
Chilly Bluebird
Picture of the Day for September 29, 2012
With the warmer temperatures this week, the bluebirds have been singing more. I love seeing and hearing the bluebirds but soon they will head south and I will have to wait until spring for their return. I love the way the blue feathers are reflected in the bluebird’s eye.
Bluebird Enjoying Warm Fall Weather
