Birds Nesting 2013

A pair of wrens have begun nesting right next to my window in the middle of some virginia creeper. This will be fun to watch.

Good grief, that's adorable Julie!

JulieQ, that's absolutely adorable. Here is a few update from me. In and around the garden bird nesting hasn't been the best for me. My Mallards failed twice at nesting attempts this spring. My BB failed the first attempt. But at present I currently have 4 eggs as of today. Also I thought I saw a male BB bringing a fledgling to the mealies feeder this morning -- which was a delight for me (they must have came from my neighborhood's). My cardinal first nesting must have fledged (I missed them all together), and now they have built another nest within the bamboo groove. Down the road from us, the Eagle nest with their single Eaglet have left the nest, but still remain near in the area. DH and I went out there to find one of the Parents was perching with the offspring on a distant pine tree.

1. The eagle nest
2. Parent and offspring perch on a nearby pine tree wich is roughly 200 yards from the nest.
3. The Blue Bird eggs in the back yard.

Our bluebirds are still taking food to the nestbox, and I haven't seen the babies yet. I am too scared to go look. haha I can hear them chirping away however.

I did see my chickadee babies already. SO cute, no pictures though. You have to be really lucky to see them coming and going.

This is our first year with the nestboxes so I am so happy to have anything!

Congrats on your success Julie. We're indeed blessed to be able to watch nature as it's. Thank you for sharing what's all going on in your garden with me and others.

It's very encouraging; my BB momma continues to sit on the 4 eggs. She'd fly out when she spot me in the garden as if she's begging for mealworms. I feed her regularly, and the male occasionally visits. This week, the Red-bellied woodpecker papa brought his young to the feeder. Here is the fledgling;

That's lovely, Kim.

Thanks Margaret, I saw both of the Blue birds, Ma and Pa at the feeder this morning. Yeahhh!

The morning started out with beautiful blossoms in the garden, then I thought I'd check my BBs' nest. Sadly, there is no BBs singing in the garden today. The 4 blue eggs were disappeared! It's such a sad sad day for my blue birds.

That's awful. Kim. What do you think may have taken them?

Oh Margaret, I afraid snake is probable since no other critters could reach deep into the nest box. Jim has a mini-vacation beginning tomorrow. He'll see about moving the box from my arbor's side panel and mount it on a pvc pipe. I may add a baffle beneath the box to give added protection.

Good thinking on the PVC pole, Kim.

A robin in a funny spot.

Welcome Louise to the thread. Thank you for sharing the pic. of the Robin. Keep us posted if the Robin's nesting progress. Margaret, other birds lovers has recommended the PVC poles idea. I went to the box store asked about PVC pipes, the sale person recommended them as well.

At the meantime the Red-bellied Woodpecker Papa continues to bring his fledgling to the seeds feeder. He would search out for a seed, perch at this particular spot, cracks the nut into small pieces to feed his young. What's a heart warming sign! Moma WP must be building the next brood. ^_^

1. The RBWP fledgling
2. Papa's cracking the nut prior to feeding
3. Little one came to get his meal. The little one usually tries to hide from my direct vision from the window.

Kim, I have my chickadee/wren box on a PVC pole, sort of. I first pounded in a big rebar rod, then slipped a painted PVC pole over it. If I had snakes, I'd have the baffle, but currently I don't need it. If you remember, Dave has his on a baffled shepherd hook that he can move around.

Hi Marna, I don't remember the baffled shepherd hook that Dave has. Have you got a picture to share? Oh my oh my! I just looked out the nest box and a bird flew out from it. I guessed mama Blue returned. Oh my Blue!

Not a great picture, but you can see momma wren on the nest. Recently have seen two little mouths that she is feeding. Fun and cute.

I see your wren... she is a cutie!

While working out in the garden yesterday, hubby replaced the Blue bird's nest box onto a pvc pole and added the baffle beneath the post. Hope that will help protecting future nesting.

looks good!

I don't recall having a picture of Dave's shepherd hook and I don't know if was baffled or not. You can probably Dmail him.

Thanks Marna, speaking of Dave. I haven't seen his posting lately. I hope he hasn't jumped ship... I meant he hasn't left DG. Oh, I set up the bird cam to spy on the birdhouse. By far, I only capture pics. of myself and Jim passing by the nest box. lol.

haha. might want to change that sensitivity to HIGH for a while and see what that gives you.

Thanks Marna, I will change the Camera setting. Thanks for the tip.

that will pick up every little bug that flies by! Speaking of the bird camera, I should get mine on that wren nest. Looks to be pretty busy today. I have not been paying much attention to it with so many other things going on right now.

Do share your Wren's nest pics. when you get some. Hope you're having fun while you are busy with other things. I just returned from my morning walk, and saw the BBs just arrives to check the nest box over ( I think). Will set bird cam out with high sensitivity today.

The great blue heron is quite away from the nest. It looks pretty from a distant, but it sure wrecked havoc on my Mallard's nesting this year. :((

Kim, I'm sorry about your birdy losses. What a pity that GBH loated the mallards.

Marna, I've still got several photos of that wren spitting great gobfulls of nesting material out of that box. So funny.

hah. yah, that was a funny dude. While this year I saw the chickadees in and out of the box, it was not very often and I don't think that they had built a nest before being kicked out. Maybe next year. Definitely some babies in there now, as I was working near the box this morning and saw a wren with a bug going in there. I think I may only be seeing one parent though.

This hasn't been a good year for me as far as nesting goes. I'm pleased to see others with success, those in DG and my neighborhood alike. I think I may have blamed the Herons and Crows and what's not, but it could have been the eggs were fallen to the raccoon's. DH found one climbed up the grain feeder last week. sign! On the positive note, I saw neighbors' blue birds with their young. And I found this Momma Mallard with her little ones in tow at the local park this morning. That surely made my day.

Looky!!!! Odd thing is that this is the exact location where a nest has been before. Must be the perfect branch! Probably about 10' away on the tree trunk is a nest box where the house wrens are having a second brood. No pix yet on that.

Oooh looking, looking. lol What kind of bird is that sits in the nest?

That's a Robin!

Awwww! Sweet!