Five Little Bluebirds And How They Grew

"I'll getcha Dad if you over shoot your landing. Just drop the cargo here!"

Great pics Dave!

Three on the fence.

So sweet. sounds like the start of a good riddle..
.3 little Bluebirds , sittin on a fence.....or maybe the 3 Bluebiteers..

At first the parents brought the worms to the fledglings. Now the fledges take off after the StepDad as soon as they see him with worms.

Another example.

Those little boys sure are getting beautiful!!

Here's a cute shot. Nose to nose.

Their so adorable! Wonderful shots Dave!

This material would make a great book!

Absolutely!

I so enjoyed seeing your pictures---excellent photography. Thank you for sharing with us. Laverne

A+++ great photography!

Mama laid her third egg today. This is her fourth nest for this year.

This shepherd's hook is about 15 feet in front of the nest box. The bluebirds don't like any other bird to get that close, not even a cardinal.

StepDad actually buzzed her.

Poor thing.

Another case where one fledge lands on another.

StepDad making sure everything is under control.

An unusual shot. This time it was StepDad that flew into a fledge sitting on the post. SD was chasing a house sparrow at the time.

These next two are from the shot that followed the last one. Both reactions are good so I cropped them separately.

First, the fledgling, trying to stay on the post.

And now, StepDad.

Another fledgling, as it takes off.

Two more on the fence.

I still have one timid soul that will not get in there and eat with the others. He waits a safe distance away. Here SD brings worms to him. He is in for a rude awakening because in about a week SD will stop feeding him or any of the others

Wonderful shots Dave!!

I still am amazed your bluebirds are all safe and sound. Do you have a predators around your home, Dave? (Hawks,etc?) Mama sure is a glutton for punishment, starting all over again. Are any of the young ones from previous hatchings this year still around?

GP, I have plenty of hawks and see them every few days. But the birds seem to have a good warning network. I don't think I have lost a BB to a hawk in the five years I have been hosting. Not too many other preditors except for outside cats. But I am sure we have coons nearby, since we are surrounded by a very wooded area.

This is the actually the first successful nesting she has had this year. The first nest produced five eggs that didn't hatch. In the second she again laid five eggs, but a cowbird threw one out and I ran the mower into the nest box post and broke the other four. Then of course, she lost her previous mate and she picked up StepDad, so she may be nesting again to cement this new marriage. People do that too. Sometimes it works. :-)

I did not realize this was her first brood, no wonder she is giving it another shot. I hope this nesting goes well. Do you ever see the young ones from last year around?

This message was edited Jul 15, 2009 9:45 AM

Hard to tell. We have many bluebirds in the neighborhood. But my late Papa was a stern one and he chased them from the yard and the feeder even after nesting season was over. Except for the last brood of the year which got to stay over until the spring. It will be interesting to see if this male, which is obviously younger, allows the present fledges to stay. If so, we should have a large family over the winter. Mama laid her fourth egg this morning.

Here is StepDad, taken a few minutes ago.

You are lucky to have these beautiful birds around. I have never seen one.

Well, after a week's layoff, let me update. The fledges (and I guess by now we can call them juveniles) are all doing well. StepDad has stopped feeding even the shy one and he and his siblings are learning to hunt.

I have not fed them much lately as I have been away (Friday evening wedding rehearsal, Saturday afternoon and evening wedding and reception, Sunday brunch that lasted most of the day. Then yesterday to Washington to meet two of my daughters for a bit of sight-seeing and dinner and most of today at the dentist for a couple of crowns and a root canal). That was probably more information than you needed, but suffice it to say, they probably have felt neglected.

This afternoon when I did get home they were congregated out back, waiting for me. Even though they were obviously hungry, the adults waited while all five juvies crowded into the cage and attacked the meal worms. StepDad positioned himself on a branch about six feet away and chased other birds that tried to steal a worm or two. He has already begun his molt. This "allowing them to eat first" stuff will end in a few weeks.

At one point one of the youngsters tried to land on the branch where StepDad was perched. The following sequence followed.

next

Well, apparently two images is all this server will allow until I post a comment without an image attached.

Let's try again

One more?

I'm probably pushing my luck, but one more?

Don't know if the youngster is begging for food, or what.

Here StepDad comes down on the juvenile's head, which is a switch.

A closer look at that.

And finally, the youngster falls, hangs upside down for a moment by one foot, then drops out of sight.