Baby Baby!

This spring into summer has been bursting with birds nesting, laying eggs, raising young, feeding them & fledging them. I have had the privilege of witnessing baby bluebirds, house wrens, robins, Baltimore orioles, red winged blackbirds, wood ducks, mallards & bald eagles! I’m thinking it might be a good idea to do a series focused on the babies.

Let’s start with the beloved eastern bluebirds! I don’t think there’s anything I dislike about bluebirds (I actually haven’t met any bird I didn’t like). They have such pretty coloring with their vibrant blue above and their reddish throat and chest. Their song is subtle and pleasant. Unlike most other birds, they seem pretty easy going. They don’t mind humans hanging around, even around their nests. Depending on the region in which you live, they may have one to four clutches (or broods) per breeding season. The birds in my yard usually have two clutches per season.

This is my fourth season with a bluebird nest box in my yard. In fact, I added a second one this spring. The first couple years I used a traditional wood house that was given to me by a local bluebird enthusiast. Now, I have two Gilbertson houses. they are fantastic–durable, attractive, sparrow resistant, easy to clean & easy to peek into.

Here are some photos from this spring’s brood:

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The above photos were taken using my iPhone 11, as I feel safer and it’s easier to snap quickly and get the nest box re-attached to it’s stand. While the bluebird parents have been generous with their little ones, I don’t want to press my luck!

We did get to watch the last holdout make it’s first flight after sitting at the door working up his courage for a long time. From the nest to my deck railing where he thought he would just stay forever, I think. He did not want to go a-ny-where! The parents took turns encouraging their late bloomer to fly into the tree with the others. They finally resorted to bribery–a worm here and a bug there. I think it was the bug that did it, and — weeeee! — Off the little fledgeling bluebird flew into the tree with mom, dad and siblings. The parents continued to rush around, providing the babies with food for about a week that we saw.

Do you have a bluebird house or want to have one? I’d love to hear about it. Next time, let’s look at the Baltimore oriole!!