Starting a new bluebird thread

Thanks for the very good time line for fledging BBs. very interesting.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will get some this spring.

Read in our Bird Club Bulletin that February 14 is the date everyone is supposed to put up their blue bird boxes (or check them and clean them as needed!)

The blue birds must be on their way here... (-:

Tobasco

I suspect the blues are already nearby. In fact, I'd be surprised if those that nest in your area migrate very far in the winter. I know people in New England and Michigan and Wisconsin and northern Ohio who have bluebirds stay with them over the winter. In fact, I am a believer in leaving the nestbox up all year round. If the blues find it in the fall or during the winter, they will size it up, claim it and visit it regularly from that point to protect their claim. Also, in cases where it becomes extremely cold, they have been known to huddle together in the box at night. So I'd put my box up right away if I were you.

Dave

Dave,

It seems so 'sad' that the parent Bluebirds fly towards the juvies feet first. It's 'kinda mean' in a way to the little Bluebird begging for food, but I guess they are just trying to get their little ones to be able to fend for themselves in life and surviving it.

Thanks for all the great pics and stories of the Bluebirds! Looking forward to all your pics, time-lines and stories on this coming season of babies - juvies!

Marilyn

Thanks Marylyn

I finally found a picture of a female wing-waving. This is from last year.

Thats a nice one Dave!

Yes, BBs over winter in our area--the ranger told us he sees them in the woods behind us. I set up my blue heated pet bowl with a water fountain as pictured in one of the threads here, but I haven't had any BB takers so far. And I haven't seen them at the suet feeder for them either.

Our county CBC counted 66 for this winter (down from 150 plus from last year's CBC) so there is a big push here to get more houses up in new places, etc. to help them get their numbers up again. I think the weird April freeze up last year harmed their breeding timetables all over the Midwest.

I think Fredricksburg is in prime BB territory, isn't it?

Tabasco

Well, there are a lot of BB's around here. If you walk in any cemetery, or golf course or most any other open space, you see lots of them. I think I would have a lot more here but for the personality of my adult male. He will not allow others to come into "his yard." If I had a larger lot I would put up a few more boxes but if you place them too close to each other you only start a war.

It's warm today and my blues are definately thinking about nestbuilding this morning. Both the male and the female are flying around and in and out of the nestbox with a couple of straws in their bill. In his case it's only a suggestive action. She will do all the actual building. It's still early in the season here though and if they get started too soon a later cold snap could make it difficult for the female to keep the eggs warm. I lost my first clutch that way two years ago.

I am thinking of starting a thread and adding to it every day or so, showing the progress of the birds, through nestbuilding, egg laying, hatching, fledging, etc. Rather like a diary since I do take pictures of them and their activity almost every day .

But so far its all talk, but there were lots of ordinary photo opportunities today. Especially pictures of the female. Here is one I like.

Dave

dave,

I think that is a wonderful and fun idea!!!

Here's another where she looks to be trying to figure out what I'm doing with that big lens pointing at her.

Beautiful pics Dave!

I think thats a great idea starting a Diary of sorts about the BB's along w/ your wonderful pics.

I second the motion Dave, I would love to see a running account of the BB activities!

What an interesting riviting thread! Your photos are fabulous Dave. And the descriptions of the bluebirds' behavior is fascinating.

Before I had a digital camera I witnessed a fight similar to the one you described between two pairs of bluebirds over one of our nest boxes. The fighting was strictly done by the two females and the males sat on the side lines chirping encouragement to their respective mates. The fight lasted quite a while and involved the females rolling around on top of each other on the ground! I actually called my sister in NJ and held the cell phone out the window so she could hear all the racket. The winning couple got the house in the front yard and the losers took a house in the back yard. Interestingly enough, neither couple ended up raising chicks in either house.

I will be sure to keep tuned in on your continuing bluebird adventures! Thanks for posting all this Dave!

Dave, your idea for a new thread devoted to a journal of BB spring breeding practices and development would be a real learning experience for all of us!

You could add lots of info and answers to FAQs and we could keep our 'outside' chat to a minimum on it and then it would be a really worthwhile thread to add to the Sticky.

We bluebird newbies could use it for reference and it might encourage lots of others to put up boxes and try for some BBs!

I hope you decide to do it.

Great idea, Dave. Your backyard Bluebirds and photos have provided a lot of enthusiasm and joy. My son lives about 20 minutes from me and I have seen bluebirds on his property. We plan to put up at lease two birdhouses within the next week and wait to see what happens.

Dave,

Fantastic idea! I'm really looking for to it!

Thanks for spreading so much happiness to all of us with your pics and stories! ;-)

Beautiful pics and wonderful comments as usual!

Marilyn

Dave, finding your thread has just MADE my day. I've been feeling very "blue" after our morning walk; we live in a nice golf community and have so many birds here, and there on a wooded section of the road, we came across two young boys with a BB gun. Normally I'm shy, but when I see a kid with a rifle, in the woods, I can be pretty bold, and I asked him what he was doing, and he said "just shooting little birds". It made me SO mad, I said "here I'm feeding the birds, and housing them, and you're KILLING them". He looked sheepish, and said (unconvincingly I'm afraid) he wouldn't do it anymore, stowed his gun in his golf cart (!) and drove away. Very depressing.
But your bluebird (and other) photos cheered me up, they are absolutely awesome!!!! And your love and dedication, you must be a wonderful person. We're putting up our second nesting box today; put up the first one two days ago, and today we see a possible tenant making an inspection. I've copied your timeline and will keep better track this year, of all their doings. Thanks for all your valuable info and your lovely photos, you're a real inspiration!!! Bless you...... Thea

Dave,
I have enjoyed your beautiful pics and interesting facts. I have 4 nest boxes and until last year, I always had bluebirds in one or two of them, but last year, I had no Bluebirds. How do I attract them to my yard? I just bougt some meal worms. I hope it will help. Keep the stories and pics coming. I did have some Chicadees nesting in one box last season.

Thanks everyone for your very nice comments. And Thea, I am glad to have brightened your day. I guess I shoot the pictures for my own amusement but it gives me true joy and satisfaction to share them, especially with people who love the birds as I do. Isn't the Internet (and forums like this one) a wonderful vehicle for things like this?

And Putersue, I really don't know the secret to attracting the birds. In my case I put up a nestbox and within an hour, literally, they came, checked it out, defended it over the winter and nested in it in the spring. This time of year they are looking for nest sites so if you don't have your house up, I would get it up right away.

If you are not already familiar with Bet Zimmerman's Sialis site I would strongly recommend it. It is very well done and she covers virtually every aspect of bluebird hosting.

Dave

http://www.sialis.org/index.html

Cloudy and overcast today, so some of the images are a bit soft,

These first two are not as bad as some of the others.

In this one he moved just a few inches closer and out of sharp focus.

Similar story here.

LOVE your pics Dave! I put out my first Blue bird box on Feb. 4 - so far have seen them checking it out several times, including just now! I've also seen the wren, a pair of chickadees, and a hosp checking it over. I'm rooting for the BB's, of course since the sialis site says those birds can nest in trees.

2 questions: When do your birds start building the nest? What camera are you using? I'm hoping for a new one for my birthday - need some names to drop here - DH will listen!

Bookworm

My birds usually start building about this time of year. A lot seems to depend on the weather. I hope mine wait just a little longer since a cold snap could make it hard for her to keep things warm enough throughout incubation and brooding. Two years ago my female laid her first on Feb 15 and then it was cold and none of them hatched.

But they were out there all afternoon, both carrying grass in their beaks, and obviously thinking about it. It won't be but a few days more, I suspect.

Most of the shots in this thread were taken with a Canon 40D and a Canon 300mm lens. That is a nice setup, but somewhat costly.

Good luck with whatever you do get.

Dave

Dave,

Great pics of your new Bluebird pics! Great shots!

Thanks for always sharing!

Marilyn

Thanks for the great info Dave. I already had the Cannon 40D on my list - so maybe if I tell him birthday ANd 30th anniversary would be taken care of! I watched the pair check out the house a few more times this afternoon - they are seriously thinking about making an offer!

Until I started shooting bluebirds I never really noticed the simple beauty of their wing and tail feathers. I usually delete pictures where you can't see the bird's eye, but with some of these I made an exception. Here are some pictures of the male bluebird, preening.

Here is a view of his tail feathers

Another

And another

Dave - I have a birding friend who takes pics like yours while birding - and does not use binoculars because of the detail with the lens. Her photos have made me a believer - and I have learned so much from birding with her and then looking at her photos afterward. Your pics are stunning, (love this one!) and I love the details. Thanks for taking the time to share them - I know it's hard when you have hundreds, and it takes time to upload them here.

Oh you posted some more... they get even better!

Yes, it is hard for me to find some of them since I am basically a disorganized person. Actually, I had not previously seen some of these myself. I am so busy shooting that I often file them without reviewing them.

Some of these aren't that good. I'm grabbing the first thing I see, it seems.

The detail on that one is so beautiful. I love the color of blue with my eyes, but the detail in the photos is awesome. Looking through that many photos doesn't make you disorganized.. makes you an artist!

One more

Some of these obviously were shot at the same time but his pose is a bit different

Wow.. such great detail. Love it!

Here he is finally finished

Wow Dave! You sure can capture the full beauty ( and detail ) of the Bluebirds in every photo! I'm in awe and impressed! Your photos 'do' get better each time I look at them! They're fantastic!

Marilyn