So excited! Bluebird!

We finally got to see a bluebird this morning. Yesterday, I put out two bird feeders and one of them was near our bluebird box in the side yard. While eating breakfast, we were watching the usual birds eat from the new feeder. Then I noticed on a nearby tree a bluebird was sitting there watching. He stayed there for at least 15 minutes. Long enough for me to get out my camera and tripod and snap his picture through an open window. I'm hoping he was scoping out the bird house we built for a bird just like him. I'm very excited because I've only seen a bluebird once in my neighborhood. That was about a month ago and that is what made me want to build a bluebird box in the first place.

Bluebirds eat insects. They won't eat seeds from your feeders. They will come for water and they love mealworms. They will also eat small pcs of raisin and cranberries. They have to be sm. enough to get them down their throats.
We have BB here year around because I feed them. I have tried to make my yard a good bird habitat as I am sure you have. Currently, I have a pair of bluebirds with eggs in their nest. They are beautiful birds and so fascinating.

Yes, I know bluebirds don't eat seeds. I feed whatever birds want to eat. The feeder is there for me to watch them. That is why I was looking out the window and noticed the bluebird.

How exciting!!! We live in North Stamford and put up a bluebird box last year, eternally hopeful that one of your friend's cousins will fly by. I have never seen one, thanks for sharing and giving me some hope of luring one to our CT garden. Sure would cheer me up this gloomy rainy day....but what certainly will is a visit to Oliver's Nursery in Fairfield (you MUST check this place out, it is nirvana) to choose our highland blueberry bushes..more food for the birds! Hmmm..bluebirds..blueberries...no reason to be blue even though I am not in the garden today....Cheers!

This message was edited Apr 15, 2007 10:38 AM

Thanks abbyday. I'm glad I gave you hope. I've been seeing imaginary bluebirds (unconfirmed) for weeks since my first sighting. I'd run and get the binoculars and he'd be gone before I could confirm. What made this sighting even more special is that everyone was home and sitting around in the kitchen so we all got a chance to see him. Getting the photo was just luck that he didn't fly away. What really encourages me is that he was only a couple of yards away from the box we built.

I will have to check out Oliver's. I've never been there before. I planted some blueberry bushes last year in fact. They are still small, but I have patience.

Congratulations Jen; thats so exciting! Great pic!

This message was edited Apr 15, 2007 5:30 PM

Well, my bluebirds don't know they don't eat seeds! They come to birdfeeders and eat sunflower seeds, etc., just like the rest, visit suet cakes and, of course, eat their weight in mealworms about every day! I also have doves that will fly up to a bird feeder that has a dish attached to the bottom of it and eat in the air, sitting on the dish. They apparently don't know they're supposed to be ground feeders!
I looked out the window yesterday to see a male BB in a dish I keep seeds/peanuts, etc., in for pesky squirrels. He sat inside the bowl for a long time eating and would stick his head up every so often to make sure he was all clear.
I'll tell him he's not supposed to be doing that, Birder!
My squirrels will also tip up the hummingbird feeder for a drink.
Perhaps all my wildlife rides the short bus!

This message was edited Apr 16, 2007 11:32 AM

A wonderful photo you managed to fetch of the BlueBird, Jen ...

Hope that you'll see them more often, and the pair or two .. will take a heap of interest in your nest box/es!! Am plum tickled for ya ..

Yep indeedies - the BB's will and DO visit the bird feeders! Mindja, they're no where near as frequent a visitor as the other 'typical' feeder birds, but the BB's don't hesitate one milli-second, in flying into our open/tray feeders to spyball the goodies. Especially so, when they've just been filled! (they like gettin' the 1st dibbs & pickins) .. lol

The BB's will sit, take a few steps about .. all the while tilting their heads this way and that .. then grab the particular seed/nut desired, that they find in the premium seed mix we use in these feeders. Altho' I jes can't seem to ever get a good enuff 'look-see' (or a photo, of which I can enlarge) .. of what they're actually grabbing and exiting with. Ahh, perhaps one day ...

There's red cherries & dark raisins in the mix, but it's some sort of light colored nut/s they choose, and take off with! When their babies have hatched, I've noticed that both of the parents focus much more on fetchin' and deliverin' the insects to the nest. I've witnessed the parents coming and sitting on or in the tray feeders and coaxing the feathered juveys to the tray feeders also ..

The nut is apparently something they really like .. for the BB's will even go so far as to give the Red-bellied Woodpeckers and the Blue Jays a royal ruckus, to see who can grab these 'prizes', first. Tis truly something to see; a BB standing his ground in competition with the much larger birds ...

Jes sure wish they'd be a bit more aggressive during other aspects of their bird-lives, doggone it!

- Magpye

That would be nice if he would eat from the seed feeder. Wonder why he just watched then. The other birds were all in a tizzy in grabbing seeds in the rain. Maybe he was shy. The squirrels were no where to be seen and I guess the birdies took their opportunity to chow down. I've been on the look out for him since and haven't seen him yet.

My FIL has two nesting boxes at his house about 20 miles from here, and he's never had any BB nest in them, but other birds have. He's never even seen a BB at his house.

So I count myself lucky to have gotten such a good look at him for such an extended period of time. At first, I didn't want to go get my camera because I figured he'd fly away while I was fetching it and setting up.

They do seem to be more easily frightened... my wrens, for example, barely let me walk away from the mealworm dish before they fly to it. Once they hear me tap the strainer on the feeder, that's like a dinner bell to them and they come from all around.
The past couple days I've had a male and female BB come to eat mealworms. The male will get on the dish and load up and take them back to a branch and the waiting female. She cusses at him and he takes one over to her to share. Yesterday, he didn't, and rather than just flying down and getting her own mealworm, she chased him down a branch or two, cussing at him until he finally shared! Men....!!!
The first year or so at my new house I didn't buy mealworms and always had bluebirds at my feeders. Prob. if you didn't have the worms there, they'd take you up on your offer of seed. But if you don't get that many BB to start with, you might not want to chance it! They are beautiful, aren't they!

Can I use the meal worms they sell at the pet store for lizards and such to feed to bluebirds? Or is there some special type that they like? I don't know much about meal worms.

They don't like great big ones... I don't know how big the "lizard" worms are or even if they're meal worms. Ask the pet store folks if they suggest them for feeding birds. I would think the lizard ones are the bigger or even the giant sized. If they sell different sizes, get the smaller ones.
I buy mine from Wild Birds Unlimited for about $11 per 1,000. I know I can order them bulk through the mail but I prefer to know whether or not I'm getting live worms. And I know I can "grow" my own but that doesn't sound like much fun to me!
I started out feeding the birds (titmice, wrens, bluebirds, chickadees, nuthatches... they all eat mealworms at my house) about 15 a day. That lasted about two days! Now that they know they're there, they go through MUCH more than that! And some of them, the wrens and BB's especially, are absolute PIGS at the mealworm feeder. In fact, when the chickadees come in and find an empty feeder, I feel bad and reload the thing.
I don't put them out if it's raining, because the littlest bit of water kills the worms and my birds won't eat 'em dead.
It can get expensive, but I just try to use them as a "treat." In other words, when the daily quota is gone, I try to leave it at that... not kept full like the other feeders. They'd go through a thousand a day if I'd let 'em!

Judy, so Wild Birds Unlimited is a physical store? Or is it a mail order? I guess I can google it. I haven't seen anything like that around here. I haven't looked at the meal worms at the pet store yet. I guess I just thought it would be quicker to just go down to the pet store and buy some and no shipping cost. But I am open to mail order. As I recall from when I was a kid and we had some lizards as pets, they were very small lizards and the meal worms were very small too. Eek, giant sized meal worms. Now that is a mental image!

I agree on the growing your own! That's just too much for me.

I would get a kick out of seeing the birds pigging out on meal worms. I'm assuming the squirrels are not interested in worms, although I know they are omnivores. Now those squirrels sure can make pigs of themselves.

So how long does a 1,000 worms last you?

Thanks for the help.

I dole out about 1,000 every two weeks. Like I said, they'd go through more if I'd let them and I'd go through less if I didn't feel sorry for the late comers! The early birds can't get ALL the worms!
Wild Birds Unlimited and Bird Watcher's Supply are both stores around here. I don't know if you can mail order or not through them.
There are also suppliers just for mealworms. Google will get you lots of info and also visit nabluebirdsociety.org... there, TONS of info on bluebirds, feeding mealworms and a catalog link to a couple companies where they suggest buying them if you want to mail order them.
I've actually been thinking about checking out mail ordering... It seems buying in bulk would be cheaper than going every two weeks and shelling out $11 for 1,000 worms. In fact, thenaturesway.com (there's info on the bluebird society Web page, they're in Ohio so would work for both of us) sells 2,000 of them for $14 and their Web site says they guarantee live delivery, so I might even give that a shot.
I feed mine to the birds fast enough that I don't have to put them in the fridge to go dormant, take them out and feed 'em a slice of potato (you can read all about caring for the mealworms on the BB society Web site) BUT if you get a large quantity of them, you can do that to have them "keep" longer.
Glad to help! And NO! Squirrels won't eat the things... Another plus!

This message was edited Apr 18, 2007 6:02 PM

jen, do you have a Petsmart near you? If so give them a call, they should carry mealy worms for birds.

Pelletory... mine doesn't carry LIVE ones, only the meal snax (dried worms, ick) that mine won't touch.

I'm back. Guess what??? More bluebirds visited me this evening. About an hour ago. My DH and I are working on a home improvement project and I was in and out of the house getting supplies. To my surprise, three (!) bluebirds were visiting my yard. Two males and a female. I watched them fly back and forth for a while before going back to work. I was all excited and got my husband to look too. They are so beautiful. So if they are flying around, does that mean that they don't have eggs yet? Maybe they are still shopping around for a house, perhaps?

I looked at the wild birds unlimited website and they don't currently have a store near me, but it says coming soon to Danbury! Yay!

I don't have a Petsmart. We have Petco and last time I was there, I asked about meal worms, but didn't say it was for birds and they at least have meal worms, but I don't know what kind. There's also a petland and I don't usually shop there, but I can give them a call.

I'm so excited about seeing them again, and seeing three, that I just have to run out tomorrow and see if I can find some worms locally. But I might as well order some too. $14 for 2000 sounds like a good deal.

Thanks Judy and pelletory!

Judy- Okay, I just checked out thenaturesway.com. So I should be getting "mini" meal worms, correct? That seemed like the right price you were talking about in your last post. Just wanted to check. Thanks again.

Yes, I'd get either the "mini" or small... even when they add S/H, it's a lot cheaper than the route I've been going. I'm ordering from them when I run out of what I just bought this AM from the bird store! Let me (us) know how it works out for you! I'm sure the BBs will LOVE you for it.

Jenn... any bait shop would also prob. carry mealworms. Just tell them they're for birds and not fishin' so they won't sell you the hugemongous things!

What a great idea! I have never tried feeding the birds mealworms, but I'm going to stop in at the local wild bird store and check it out. Hmmm, I have a pet parrot--I wonder if she would like one? Do they crawl around--or should the feeder have high sides on it? I have a flat screen type of feeder that I was thinking of using--is there a special mealworm feeder? After I leave here, I think I'll start "surfing" for mealworms and feeders...

This is a shot of my bird house just yesterday! Thanks for the ideas everyone!

Very cute!

Yup.. .those buggers will crawl so you don't want to put 'em on anything flat.
They sell mealworm feeders that have a cup inside a house sort of thing (clear sides so you can see in) but I don't mind feeding mealworms to the birds that eat 'em in my yard (titmice, wrens, nuthatches, chickadees and, of course, bluebirds, so I just have the attached blue contraption. VERY inexpensive. I have it mounted to a shepard's hook... any bowl with about a couple inch side will work. I have a friend who just uses a butter bowl or dog dish... you don't want very big holes in it at all of they'll slide through... the worms are tiny! And at least in my backyard, the birds won't eat 'em if they get wet at all... they die when just the slightest bit of water hits 'em.

I have that one too Judy!

This is the one I think is the best but its expensive.

http://www.tmbstudios.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BBNDMWF

Great minds, Pelletory... either that or bird brains, think alike!

I had another bluebird visitor today. Coincidentally, we tried to feed birds worms last night for the first time. We didn't get any takers! But the worms were still out there today. Anyway, the bluebird checked out the box.

Beautiful pic Jen!!!

He went all around the box giving it a good going over. He even went inside a few times. He flew back out with something in his beak. I couldn't make out what it was.

I should tell you, we've had many birds look at the box over the past couple of weeks. A house wren started to make a nest with a few twigs on Saturday, but he abandoned that project after a few minutes. Not sure why. I also saw a wren (not sure if it was the same one) chase a woodpecker away from the box. He was half the size of the woodpecker.

Thanks pelletory!

It was like he was saying to me, follow me. I had stepped outside to sit out back while talking on the phone with my mom. Off to the side, on a tree, was the bluebird. I walked a slowly over to the tree and then he flew to a tree in the side yard. I followed. That is where the bird box is. So I stood there and looked at him for a minute and then thought I might scare him, since we don't know each other very well. I went inside where I could watch him from my kitchen. I hung up the phone and got my camera and fired off a bunch of shots through an open window, before he flew away again. He did give that box a good once over.

Should I take the twigs out of the box that the wren put in there over the weekend?

This message was edited May 1, 2007 3:02 PM

It'll take 'em a while to find the worms. But when they do, it's on, baby!

Wow Jen, what great photos!!! I need to get some worms. Wish they would eat lily beetles... little red punks!

Hey! He came back again today. I quick went and got out the worms and fed him. I don't have a platform to feed him on yet and he didn't want the bowl on the ground yesterday. So today I served him some worms on a terra-cotta saucer on top of the birdhouse. He went for it! But only after I was inside watching from the window. He's not comfortable with me being out there near him. Well, not to be outdone, Mr. Wren came along too and chowed down on the worms.

My husband thinks the solution is to build another box, but then, I'd have to put it somewhere away from the current box. Not sure I'd get to see the bluebirds if they did take up residence since they won't come around unless I'm inside the house. What to do?

Edited to say, when I went through my photos again from yesterday, I saw that I had taken a photo when he came out of the box with something in his beak, it was a twig. So I took out the wren's twigs yesterday evening. Woke up this morning and heard the wren singing outside. Looked out the window and sure enough, his little face was looking out the hole of the box. I checked inside the box again and he had twigs back in there. I feel bad to take them out again. He's kind of endearing. But from what I've read, he will run the bluebirds off, just for spite, not for need of a nesting spot. I can't believe a bluebird would be afraid of such a tiny little thing.

This message was edited May 2, 2007 4:49 PM

Pretty photo, Jen!
Those worms are like crack to bluebirds and wrens. Get your pocketbook ready. And don't hate me for getting you started!

Another beautiful pic Jen! I think your DH is right, you need another box.

BTW, is it a Carolina Wren or a House Wren?

A house wren, pelletory. Not that I knew that until I looked it up. But his song is dead on. Not the best photo, but I think I got a good one today. He let me walk right up to him a take a picture. Haven't downloaded off the camera yet however.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Just looked out the window and the bluebird was back on the box. Hanging onto the front. He just stayed there for a while. I think he wants that box.

You have mail.

Jen, do you have a good source for birdhouse patterns? We just finished our post and beam barn/woodshop and I can't wait to make a ton!
Again, what great photos. Here is a shot of a robin's nest from last spring, they used the arm of our blue atlas cedar "Big Jim" as a support. Isn't that color incredible!? That's about as close to a blue bird as we have been :)
Cheers,
Abby

Definitely House Wren. Note the fairly uniform plumage; Carolina Wren differs most conspicuously in having a very obvious white supercilium (eyebrow).

Resin

abbyday, we (my husband and I) are fledgling woodworkers. We set up a woodworking shop in our basement over the last year and a half. We built a walnut king size bed for ourselves. I made the bird house myself, not my best work, but I was following the bluebird specifications I found on the North American Bluebird Society website. http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/nestboxspecs.htm I also googled bluebird nesting box and found actual plans.

I'd like to make more birdhouses, but we are in the midst of lots of other projects. I'm renovating a room in my house and also have the vegetable garden to work on. But anyway, I see more birdhouses in our future, for sure. Maybe at least one in the very near future. My husband got some nice wood for me to make birdhouses. I don't have a source for patterns, but I'd be interested in doing something different. The whole reason I even made a bird house in the first place was that I saw a bluebird for the first time and I had read about them on the internet during the winter. What kind of birdhouses are you going to make in your shop?

I love that robin egg picture of yours. Very pretty.

Well, I've been feeding the bluebirds for a few weeks now. Our blue boy found himself a girl.