Bluebird thread

If they are hanging around, sooner or later they should select one of your nest boxes. They are somewhat picky about height, be sure they are 4-6 feet off the ground. The also prefer holes facing the east.

Red and Rose, love your photos. The babies couldn't be cuter.

Mama laid only 3 eggs in her second clutch. Two hatched today, one egg remaining.

Oh wow, congrats Red.

Red that was a nice series. I wish I could have some Bluebirds nest in my yard, but I would not put them in harms way with these house sparrows around. I just have to see them when I am out and about.

very nice thread Red...great photos!

Rose....that shot is priceless!

I removed the unhatched egg today and it was unfertilized. Maybe Daddy hasn't been doing his job. The two babies are growing fast. Daddy saw me out by the box and came in immediately to see if he could get a few worms. And of course, I obliged. Here he is taking some to the babies.

Today's baby pics. Amazing how much they have grown in five days.

awwww....how sweet!

Bluebird eggs hatch in 12-14 days. According to my notes, these hatched in 11. I suspect that I didn't record a day or two of incubation. The clutch was only 3 eggs, so I thought Mama was laying while in the box and she had probably started setting the eggs. The two babies are getting feathers now and will be fledging before I know it.

A pic of Daddy in a full-flap landing.

The second brood is close to fledging. They are peering out of the box now. A pic of Daddy bringing in a bug and a baby sticking his head out to take it.

Cute one!

I love that one!!

Glad I got a few pics yesterday. Brood two flew the coop this morning.

More great photos Red. Love that last one! Sorry you missed the last brood, but at least you know they were all successful in fledging.

Just six days after her second brood fledged, Mama is building another nest. Looks like a third brood is in order.

A pic of Mama on the nest box with some Little Bluestem.

As usual, Daddy joined me for breakfast early this morning.

Very nice pic of mama!

Nice clean color on your male bluebird. I am surprised you could get that kind of color early in the morning. For me, anything before 10:00 am the sun gives a yellowish tinge.

The light was great on that pic of Daddy. But as you can see the blue on his wings is fuzzy. I think the iridescence of their feathers in some light just confuses the camera. I tried sharpening the image and it was worse. I've experienced the same thing with Indigo Buntings, which are actually black, but appear blue due to their iridescent feathers. I'm going to experiment with how I set up the focus on the feeder shots. For bird pics I normally use one little center focus block. I may just start reverting to auto for the bb's.

A pic of the new nest.

This message was edited Jun 20, 2011 9:21 AM

Mama joined us for breakfast this morning and Daddy brought in one of the juvies from the second brood.

Mama on the feeder.

The juvie from the second brood. He is backlit, but you know how kids are when you try to take their pics.

I started this thread for everyone to post bluebird pics. Surely we have some out there.

And of course, Daddy is always here for worms. He took these two to the juvie in the desert willow.

Very nice shots red! Love the juvenile!

The mockingbirds continue to harass the bluebirds more than ever. They chase the adults when they try to get meal worms for the fledglings. They chase the fledglings who are just learning to feed themselves. They chase the song sparrows too. Their preferred tactic is to fly right at the smaller bird and hope that he will drop a few meal worms as he scampers.

Since they have discovered that they (the mockers) can also squeeze into the cage, I have taken to putting the worms out in the open and standing nearby with the garden hose. This sequence, taken today, shows how the adult male bluebird reacts when he sees the mocker coming right at him.

Wow I'm surprised they can get into the cage!

Fortunately my mockingbird situation has improved. They are building a second nest in the front yard, so we have some space between them. I'm just putting out a few mealworms at a time and like you, stay out until the bluebirds eat them. Daddy has reclaimed his favorite perching spot in the back yard which is near the mockers' old nest. They are aggressive birds, to say the least.

Loved all your photos Red and Dave!

Mama laid a single little powder blue egg day before yesterday. This is the first egg of this year's third clutch. She was in the box most of the morning yesterday, but didn't produce an egg. She is back in this morning.

Wow, 1st egg of the 3rd clutch! Congrats grandpa!

The three survivors from our second clutch are feeding themselves now. The four eggs Mama has been sitting on should hatch tomorrow. The big question will be whether she will go for a fourth nesting. We won't know the answer to that for another month or so.

Red, your mama sure makes pretty eggs.lol

Dave, your trio are adorable. Hope the next batch of fledglings are all successful.

Thanks duc. Here is Papa, always close by, watching out for hawks,mockingbirds and other troublemakers.

Congrats Red!

Dave, Their adorable!

Here is one of the four mockingbirds that just won't give up. He is just beyond the reach of my garden hose. Incidentally, I shot all these with the Canon 100-400mm zoom. I have had it a year and this is the first time I have ever used it for birding. I can see why people like it -- It certainly is light weight, compared to my prime lenses.

"He is just beyond the reach of my garden hose. "

Too funny!

Two have hatched in the past 15 minutes

The remaining two eggs have noticeable pip marks so they should hatch soon.

Oh how exciting that's!!! Congratulation Dave.