Wordless Wednesday: Nesting again!

Lusty bluebirds

My pair of Eastern Bluebirds started nesting in February and the prolific birds have already produced two broods of little bluebirds, each of which had five babies. Doing the math, that means they've added a total of ten to the local bluebird population. 

Of course, I don't know if all of them have survived. It's a dangerous world out there for songbirds. But at least  some of them are still flying. I see them, identified by their speckled breasts and dull blues, around the yard almost every day.

You'd think these parent birds would be ready to rest on their laurels and take a well-deserved vacation. Boy, would you be wrong!

I noticed the birds hovering around their favorite box a few days ago and yesterday and today the female has been hard at work, constructing yet another nest of pine straw.

Unfortunately, I never did get around to properly cleaning out the box after their last brood fledged a few weeks ago. I did take the nasty nest out, but I didn't scrape and wash the walls as I usually do. I thought I had plenty of time! Maybe I can manage to at least scrape the poop off the walls if not wash them. Anyway, it probably bothers me more than it bothers the birds.

By the time the female finishes her nest, lays her eggs, broods them, and the pair raises them to fledging, it will be the middle of July or later, the hottest, harshest part of summer. Surely, the hard-working parents will then be ready to rest. But don't count on it - this is one lusty pair!

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For the next several days, the Backyard Birder will be the On-the-Road Birder. Posting will be sparse or nonexistent, but I'll be back before the Summer Solstice, so watch this space!

Baby bluebirds!

One of the consequences of our recent spell of wet weather with showers coming almost every day has been that I have not been checking the bluebird box on a regular basis. I had checked it about three weeks ago and found four blue eggs in the nest, but I hadn't really looked at it since then.


Today I saw the male bluebird carrying an insect to the nest. After he left, I went to open the box and see what was there. I opened the box part way, very carefully, and saw two nestlings with open beaks and open eyes and even the beginnings of feathers!  They had obviously been there for a few days. 


There may well have been - and probably were - other nestlings behind the two that were up front, but I didn't dare open the door wider for fear that the little ones might get agitated and jump out. I'm just delighted to know that there is a new family of these wonderful birds, however many there may be, growing up in the box. 


I was really concerned when the eggs were first laid because the temperatures were over 100 degrees at the time, but very soon the temperatures moderated, the rains came, and the danger of overheating passed. And now, once again, we have baby bluebirds!

Wordless Wednesday: Red, white, and bluebirds edition

Three beauties

Lady Blue has been busy! I checked the bluebird box this morning and the Eastern Bluebird nest contained these three beauties. A typical bluebird clutch contains four eggs and that's how many her previous clutch had so I suspect she may lay at least one more egg before she starts brooding.

I am a bit concerned because of the temperature. It was over 100 degrees yesterday, will be again today and is predicted to be again tomorrow. After that the heat is expected to abate just a little but it will still be in the high 90s. Is it possible the heat could damage the eggs, perhaps causing them to start developing before Mama is ready to brood? Could it perhaps even "cook" them? It is a concern, but, frankly, I don't know what I could do to alleviate the situation at this point. I'll just have to trust to Mama Bluebird and Mother Nature to know best how to take care of this new generation.

The bluebirds are nesting again

Before we went on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the Eastern Bluebirds were showing interest in one of the bluebird boxes once again. I thought they were probably getting reading to build a second nest and raise another family. After we returned last week, I got sick with an upper respiratory infection and didn't get outside much during the week. Finally, over the weekend, I was able to make my rounds of the yard and check the nesting boxes and I found that, sure enough, the bluebirds had constructed one of their neat little nests made of pine straw in the old box where they have raised families in previous years. There were no eggs in the nest yet.

As I walked into the den this morning, I glanced out the window and saw the female bluebird exiting the box. I imagine she is ready to lay her eggs now and get on with the process of brooding a second clutch. I worry a bit about the birds because temperatures are supposed to be over 100 degrees for the first three days this week and there is little relief in sight. Being inside a wooden box in that sun, even with its ventilation holes, can't be very pleasant.

This pair of birds were very successful with their first brood of chicks, successfully fledging all four, so they are well experienced in raising a family. I hope their second venture is just as successful.

    The female bluebird visits the box where she has built her second nest.

Mama bluebird

Mama bluebird feeding her four babies. A mother's work is never done!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Wordless Wednesday: Female bluebird subdues her lunch!

What would you do?

There is a battle going on between birds in my garden and for once it doesn't involve House Sparrows. No, this time, it's two of the good guys who are going at each other.

Early on the Carolina Chickadees claimed this nesting box and started building their nest in it. They worked hard and filled the box about two-thirds full with moss to be their nest where they would raise their young. But the Eastern Bluebirds decided this week that they want that box and they've been jousting with the pair of chickadees over it. Finally, they just decided to go ahead and build their nest on top of what the chickadees had done. They worked steadily at it today and have almost completed their pine straw nest. It seems, perhaps, that they have won the battle, but now I'm wondering if I should remove what the chickadees have constructed, so that the bluebird nest can rest on the bottom of the box where it should be. As it is, it will be too close to the entry hole and it is possible that very young chicks might accidentally fall out. Under ordinary circumstances, I would never dream of interfering between these two much-loved birds, but I am in a quandary. What should I do?

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I didn't have a chance to do my research for my "This week in birds" post today. Check back tomorrow when I hope to have it completed.