Bluebirds- Spring 2012

Try EBay and search for HAWK EYE NATURE CAM. That should give you a list of about 10 or 15 EBay dealers. That's where I bought mine.

Bet Zimmerman has a nice discussion of the subject; where to buy, how to install common mistakes etc, at http://www.sialis.org/cam.htm

Yesterday was the first time we ever saw a Bluebird in the yard. Amazing what I can see when I do the dishes. :) We do not have any boxes up, too many HOSP at this time, but I did enjoy the brief time he was here.

Here's mine at 7 days old--unfortunately it had gotten cold and only 3 out of the 5 made it. good news is that if they fledge this will be our earliest yet; with a chance to have three broods this year.

BCH521 - good to see another brood of birds. This spring weather has been so unpredictable. Sorry for the loss of the two but you will probably have at least 1 and maybe 2 more broods this year. Nice photo of the nestlings.

Dave - I hope that you get the photos on the weekend. I am going to miss my fledge this time around. I will be at a meeting in Charlottesville over the weekend of May 4-5 when mine are projected to fledge. Maybe they will wait until I return late Saturday afternoon.

David in Virginia

I will surely be out there watching for them and trying to get a picture or two. Made our weekly run to Baltimore today and came home early because I knew the birds would be out of worms. They were and were they ever glad to see me. I got a few good pictures . Here is one of the two together taking a short break.

day 10, and I was wrong--there are 4! Sometimes it feels good to make a mistake.

Wooohoooo! That's a good mistake! I'm so glad to hear about the 4th one!

My birds fledged today --one day early!! Of Course I was ready!!

Actually I was on the deck setting up for tomorrow when the first one suddenly peeked out and flew straight toward me. My wife was on the deck with me and the bird nearly landed on her! It actually landed on the railing, not more than 2 feet from her. She stood there perfectly still for more than 10 minutes while it assessed the situation, then it flew down to a Japanese maple tree where a robin has its nest, and was attacked by the robin-- But that's another story.

The first shot is of Number four, taken with camera one, and the next four shots are of Number five, taken with camera two. (I got pictures of all five departures but some are better than others).

Congratulations Dave!

How wonderful is that? Congratulations Dave!

Our very first brood is still dependent on Moma.

Dave, congratulations on the good fledge and wonderful pics. I wonder if everything this year is going to be "a day early" as seems to be the case on both yours and my sets of birds. If they hold to that "day early" routine I may get to see mine on Thursday before I leave on Friday. I will be looking on Thursday with the camera ready.

BCH - nice "find".

Lily- Yours look a bit anxious also. How long until they fledge?

Chillybean - It is good to see the bluebirds in your neighborhood. If you can get some control on the HOSPs you might be able to encourage a nesting or 2 of the bluebirds. Good luck,

David in Stafford

This message was edited Apr 29, 2012 9:21 PM

Dave, this is my first ever Blue Birds experience so I don't know for sure, and I've been quite anxious for I haven't seen Papa Blue since the 24th! Momma Blue is seen feeding her young. But I don't see the Papa Blue :((

Excellent work, y'all !!!

2dCousinDave, Congrats on the great pics of the fledgeings! And thankyou for the info on the nestcam!
Nice pics everyone!!
Here's a few of my most recent ones ( Took these kinda fast as I haven't had much time for pictures lately) ..

1st one is the male going to pull the sticks out of the wrens box, He keeps doing this for some reason and also beats the tar out of the wren whenever he gets the chance.

2..The females waiting and watching on top of the light for her mealy worms

3 .. Female at the dish

4 ..Taking her fill

5 .. Filling up!

Nice photos Iris.

David in Stafford

Thankyou David!

Just six days out of the nest box, this is the first fledgling to follow Papa to the meal worm feeder.

Great pics. Iris, Awww Dave, those pics. are wonderful!

Nice little "family time" photo Dave. Hope to see more.

I hope that mine decide to leave the box tomorrow (Thursday) so that I can get a pic. before I have to go the Charlottesville on Friday.

David in Stafford

Missed another one. Dave, everything seems to be happening 2 days early this year in Stafford. There was a flurry of activity yesterday with both parent birds going in and out of the nestbox with food. Every once in a while one of the nestlings would poke its head out to look around and I got a few photos of that. We had an early dinner (around 4:30 pm) with my daughter and her son from Fredericksburg, and our son visiting us from Seattle. The young must have fledged either while we were eating or early this morning. I did not notice any activity at the nest box this morning and when I checked the box at 2:30 this afternoon it was empty.

I did get some photos of yesterdays doings: 1 is the female resting after feeding the brood; 2 is one of the young checking out the surrounding trees; 3 is papa bird after delivering a grub.

David in Stafford

Here are a few more of the "final shots" of this brood.

1 - young bird looking out of the box
2 - Momma and Papa watching the sky - possibly a hawk
3 - Papa bird relaxing in the afternoon sun

Cute shots David. Sorry you missed their leaving. Hopefully next time. But actually, most people miss seeing it -- even experienced bluebird hosts.

But when they peek so their heads are sticking out, it usually means they are going that day. Especially if they start doing it early in the day.

My female has completed her second nest but no eggs yet. We were in Baltimore today and got back after 7:00. They were waiting for their supper.. I saw four together (through the camera lens) and I am hoping the fifth is lurking somewhere in the leaves. They should all start coming to the feeder in a few days.

2dCousinDave, Always a joy to see the parents feeding the fledgelings! Very nice!

Thanks Lilylove!

David, Sorry you missed the fledeging, Maybe next time, I missed mine too, /hopefully, Next time for me too!! ~Enjoyed your photos!

2dCousinDave, Looking forward to the photos you get when they all come back in a few days!

My female has laid three eggs in the second nest and the fledglings (I have seen four of the five) are coming to the deck with the parents for meal worms. The robins are really giving the fledglings a hard time.

Beautiful photos of the bird family Dave.

Thanks Lily. I think I like some of these I got yesterday and today even more. BTW, Mama is sitting on 4 eggs in her second nest.

Great photos Dave! I especially like the 4th shot in both rows!! And congrats on the 4 more eggs!!

The fledgelings here are back!! I'm so excited to see that they all made it!! ~And the parents are making a new nest , It's halfway done!!

Pops and baby ... ( Please excuse my pics, The lighting was terrible today, But, I tried to get some pics anyway) ...

Daddy and his boy ..

Fledgeling ..

Very nice Iris. I like them all!!

Iris and Dave, congrats on your success. And Dave, with a new brood on the making! Congratulation again. All beautiful shots!

Thanks Dave and Lily-Love!!

Mine fledglings are a couple days younger than Dave's. They come to the feeder with Momma now, but haven't learned how to get into the dome feeder set up. They do, however get to one that's below which has easy access to the bowl.

Great set of photos Dave and Lily. Now I know I am going to have to get the feeder. I like seeing your fledglings coming back to the feeder.

The nest box has been empty for 3 days and I put a tuft of grass clippings in the box to see if they were coming back. The tuft is gone so I believe that we will see a nest begin soon.

Keep those photos of the young ones coming.

David in Stafford

Nice shot lily- I think I'm going to put a small plank out and set the bowl on top so they can all come and eat, It will be right by my patio, So I know nothing is going to get them when they come down to eat, The only problem I see when they are eating is that one of the female BBs ( Not the female parent) knocks the fledgelings off the feeder sometimes when they are eating, Has anyone else seen this happining ?? She will also eat every mealworm there is without flying off at all and when the bowls empty, She will wait at the top of a lamp pole for the next batch of worms.
Photos of her ... Maybe a fledgeling from last year? ..

Lily, I was using the dome type feeder but switched to the wire cage because I knew it would be easier for the youngsters to learn Several have already started going into the feeder to be closer to the adult that picks up the worms. When they are weaned I will switch back to the dome. This first shot shows one of the fledglings in the cage with the adults.

Thank you Dave, I'll be looking out for a cage feeder. I like that idea alot. Currently all sort of birds are paying extra attention to the open feeder I have for the Blues and Wrens. lol Luckily, I've success raising mealies. So they can share the wealth for the duration.

Iris, I haven't experience with competition between female BBs at the feeders. 5 days after the family Blues lost papa Blue, a new male accompanied the Moma, I was hoping that he would help her bring food to the fledglings, but he showed up at the feeder a time or two, then no more afterward. The other birds that are interested in the mealies currently are Mockers, Cardinals besides the Carolina Wrens. But some how, I've noticed that the BB Momma is quick to notice feeding time. She got the lion share of the mealies before others are aware that food was available. In which I'm so glad.

Dave, I just love, love the series that you've just shared. Thanks.

Dave, Great photos!
Lily, Not much competition here for the mealies besides the female that will take over if given the chance, The cardinal and wrens sneak in and take some but the BBs get the majority of the worms, I've had a tufted titmouse stop in a few times, But, He doesn't seem interested in them, Haven't had any mockingbirds take any either.
I just recently started raising mealies, If you got any tips, Let me know. I have been buying mine off ebay, I bought 3000, But, They go so fast they just don't last! lol!

Well, Today, I noticed the male Bluebird chasing off the female BB that's been hanging around and chasing the fledgelings when they ate, He gave her quite a scolding! The little BB's are starting to come in and eat by themselves now, ( 80% of the time, They come in with dad BB, %20 of the time they have been venturing in by themselves.) I just love watching them!!
Few of todays photos ...