More Bluebird Happenings

I was thinking of reviving my "Mostly Bluebirds" thread but I am so far behind and so much has happened that I wouldn't know where to start.

You may recall my six nestlings fledged on May 5th and 6th and one of them fledged two days early and didn't make it to the trees. The remaining five were together for a while but were scattered by the tremendous wind gusts we had here on May 8th, and when the dust had settled we only had four. Those four are doing well, hanging out in the trees and coming to the feeder when they see Papa near the meal worm feeder. Two of them go into the cage and try to feed themselves but Papa usually winds up doing it. One likes to sit right down in the bowl of mealworms and for the moment, Papa is patient with him. The other two are more cautious and still wait for Papa to bring worms to them. Mama is two days into incubation of the five eggs in her second nest, so Papa has taken over all the care and feeding of the first brood. Mama comes out of the nest box when she hears me putting worms out and she is given head of the line priviliges, but she ignores any fledgling that begs to her.

Since I started this thread and the pictures did not post, I will start again and let that one die..

Several times Papa has landed on a branch next to a fledgling and the fledgling has leaned forward, causing Pap to fall backward, hanging upside down. No matter, the fledge goes after the mouthful of worms.

Like so:

So Papa flies higher on the branch.

And has better luck.

Junior is impatient when Papa feeds a different fledge.

Papa usually takes as many as he can carry.

Dave,
I dream of seeing Bluebirds nearby...but that won't happen til we move out to the country :(
Thanks for sharing all your pics...such heartwarming times and I appreciate you sharing them with all of us! :D

Thanks SL. I am happy to share.
Between the two they usually spill most of them.

But Papa is frugal. He goes down after the ones he drops.

Well, enough of that. Here are a few portraits.

One of the children.

Another

A frequent visitor

I love the side-by side shot...
Amazing how the "youngings" of many birds wind up bigger than the parents in the beginning...hehehe

Awwwwwwwwwww...be still my heart :D

Sometimes the bowl is empty before the belly is full.

Here's Mama, a little bit damp in today's sprinkle.

And Papa.

OK, now I am moving back to some shots I took a few days ago.

Papa was getting crowded then too.

This message was edited May 23, 2010 10:45 PM

But he does his part.

Taking the worms to wherever the fledgling is perched.

Here are two boys in the rain.

They both hear the click of my camera.

"Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen (and Papa) from their appointed rounds".

Here he is, a bit dryer

A somewhat cute shot.

One more arriving

Another time when they pushed Papa backwards

So many wonderful shots Dave! Papa looks great and the fledges are adorable! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Thanks Pelle. This is a shot of the five of them in the trees, two days after they fledged. I may have posted this or one like it on the daily pics thread, and if so, I am sorry. But someone may not have seen it, and well, I like it, (so I guess I am not that sorry.)

Notice four of them are snoozing. Probably not so easy to sleep perched in a tree as in the nest box.

But when Mama shows up with food, all eyes pop open.

Here is one of the fledglings, braced against the high winds I previously mentioned. It must have been a pretty scary introduction to the outside world.

And as I said, after the winds died down, sadly there were only four.

Oh No!!!!!!
Oh Dave, could it have flown to another branch or something????

No, that was over two weeks ago and he would have re joined the group, most likely within a day, had he survived. Our common area is only an acre or so of tall trees and it may be within the development but it has been left untouched, so at ground level it is a thicket, overgrown with poison ivy and honneysuckle vines and brambles and wild blackberry briars and it definitely is not the place to be if a bird is injured. We have hawks that come by nearly every day, predator birds that are constantly trying to raid the nests of smaller birds and raccoon, fox, snakes and outdoor cats that prowl the area under the trees at night.

Terrific Thread Dave!! Great photo's!! Those last few are truly wonderful capture's.

Thanks, Burd. Here is a shot of Mama today, during one of her breaks.

And Papa, bringing her something to eat.