Bird Watching: Bluebird thread #11, 1 by 2dCousinDave

2dCousinDave wrote:
This has been the weirdest Fledge Day ever.

First of all, it's day 16 and BBs normally fledge on day 17 or 18. Mine have always gone on day 17.

We weren't even supposed to be home. My father-in-law took a turn for the worse and we rushed up to Baltimore on Wednesday and he died that night. We spent yesterday making funeral arrangements and came home last night late, mostly to switch to a bigger car and to pick up more appropriate clothing. Anyway, I looked out this morning and saw a baby BB peeping out of the opening. By 9:00 a.m. he had flown. And he flew straight toward our deck and landed on the top step. I ran out and got a few pictures of him sitting there and in a few minutes he flew up to the trees. Immediately the second baby appeared in the opening. But he started and stopped and I had work to do and couldn't sit and watch him. At noon I looked out and saw no birds at all and concluded all three babies had fledged. Well, at least I saw and got a few pictures of Number one.

At 2:00 p.m. I went out to mow the lawn. Since the birds had fledged, I decided to take down the sparrow spooker and clean out the nestbox. As soon as I got near the box I was dive-bombed by both BB parents. I went ahead and took the spooker down and then proceeded to mow the grass. I have a riding mower and it was hot outside so I drove faster than usual. I buzzed around the nestbox a number of times as I cut the back lawn. I then cut the front yard and put the mower in the shed. I then headed for the nestbox, intending to clean it out. As I walked up to it I was surprised to see a baby bluebird looking out at me. He ducked back inside and I got out of there too and went back to my cameras.

It was almost 7:00 p.m. before that guy flew. And he also flew up on the deck, and landed on the far railing. I had a good view and got nearly 200 pictures of him as he sat there.

Here are a few pictures. First the female, as she was trying to coax one of the fledglings out.