Starting a new bluebird thread

The old one was getting just too long, especially for those with dial up modems.

Let's begin with Papa in a classic pose.

Another shot, taken at the same time.

Same bird, on a much colder day.

One more male, before I start looking for some of the females.

Ok, Nothing special with this one -- she's just standing there.

Just a little hop.

Another female.

Here a female attacks a cowbird that dares land on "her" nestbox.

Last one for tonight.

Dave

Gorgeous photos Dave!
Its so funny to see the difference when their cold or not.
I love the action shots!

Pelle

Another great series of Eastern Bluebird photos.

Oh, I adore that cold "fat" shot! Such detail!

They are so pretty birds, fun to look at.

Nice clear shots Dave.

Here's one more that's a bit unusual.

Another in flight shot

Love the way the sun lights up his feathers.

Another somewhat similar to the previous one.

Female in the snow.

The very next shot. Just a tad out of focus. Sorry.

Male lifting off.

Female in the sun.

So pretty, smooth and clean.

Change of pace.

Here is a song sparrow singing and you can see his breath! I have similar shots of a Carolina wren doing it, too.

Leaning.

Pretty boy

Another shot of the male

Another change of pace, and another unusual pose.

And that's it for tonight.

Dave

Wow splendid shots Dave! I love all of them especially Male lifting off,Song Sparrow breath,Leaning, pretty clean and smooth along w/ sun lights up his feathers.
All wonderful!

Incredible beauty!

Thanks, I found a couple more that I'd probably lose if I wait till tomorrow.

And this IS the last one...

Well that was a Great ending to the night. Beautiful pics!

wing waving?

Looking down

This one was taken in late November.

Beautiful pics Dave!

I guess your really looking forward to nesting season;I know I'm looking forward to seeing your pics of the new little ones.

How many stay together for how long after they've fledged?

Incredible shots, so much details.and actions.

These are beautiful shots Dave...it reads like a great book! I am still trying to lure the little Blues back...they are remarkable and you have certainly captured that in your photos!

Rose

Thanks, everyone.

I will try to answer your question Pelle, but I warn you it will not be a short answer. If there were a short answer, it would be, “It depends.”

This will be my fourth year hosting bluebirds. The first 2 years (six nestings) and the first nesting of last year, the juveniles fledged successfully, stayed around, and even assisted the parents in feeding nestlings in later clutches. They stayed together throughout the fall and winter, until Papa ran them all off when nesting started again in the spring.

Then, on June 4 of last year, that all changed.

The second brood (four babies) had hatched on May 30 and both parents began feeding them. On June 4, as I left the house to run an errand, I noticed a flurry of bluebird activity in front of my house. There seemed to be about 20 bluebirds fluttering about, obviously excited. I ducked back into the house to get my camera. When I returned, the excitement was still going on, but the activity had moved across the street. Most of the birds appeared to be spectators, watching three birds fighting in the driveway and then on the roof of the house across the street. Initially it was a male fighting with a female, and then two females were fighting with each other. This went on for about 10 minutes, until one of the females retreated with the other female chasing her.

I left to run my errand, thinking only that I had gotten some good in-flight shots.

That afternoon I saw Papa feeding the babies in the nestbox. A strange female was shadowing him and I didn’t see Mama, his original mate. I noticed Papa repeatedly attack the new female but when he did she just cowered down and kept shadowing him. He would not allow her near the nestbox. The next morning, as was my habit, I checked the nestbox. There were only three babies there and one of them was dead. He had been pecked severely on the head.

I removed the dead baby and checked the box again several hours later. It was empty. I heard and soon found one of the babies in the grass. It appeared to be unharmed so I put it back in the nest. Papa was perched nearby, watching and talking to me as I did. But Papa never went back into the nestbox that day. The next morning the nestbox was empty.

In the week that followed, the new female continued to follow Papa around. He continued to attack her and she continued to take it. Finally, he accepted her. At that point she started chasing the juveniles from his earlier nesting. Papa joined in this and they finally ran the juveniles off. A week or so later she built a nest and they successfully fledged four babies.

But Papa’s personality has definitely changed. Gone are they days when the whole family ate together at the feeder. Now he will not permit the new female, or any juvenile, to eat, even at a large bowl, until he has finished. But he has not run these juveniles off. I will watch as the new nesting season starts, to see if he continues his gruff behavior.

Incidentally, I have closely examined the pictures I took and I am certain that the two females in the fight were my original Mama and the new female. The male was definitely Papa. We are left to speculate whether Mama left because she was humiliated or intimidated, or if it was for some other reason. She did not appear to be physically injured when I last saw her but I have not seen her since.


Dave