Eastern Phoebe

I know Dellrose made a caged mealworm feeder herself and there are also these you can buy.

http://www.tmbstudios.com/proddetail.asp?prod=ERV%2DBBF1

Thank you, Pelle for the link, look like we're going to need one of those cage-feeder that's for certain. I'll see about buying the mealworms temporarily. I'll check with Kim (Duckmother) on her mealworm making recipe. Thanks again Debra.

A note on the Cardinal's nest. They built one on top of this 9' tall rose arbor in the front this year. Last year they built one at eye-level. They cried/chirped alot when I was near, so they built them a little taller than where I can snoop on their young. lol.

For the past few days, every time I looked there the Phoebe was sitting on its nest. So I went and got a couple bird feeders, first I tried out this one; an orb ceramic feeder. Got them 500 counts mealworms. I tried out a small portion (mealworms) here. The feeder is placed half way b/w the nest location and their favorite feeding spot that I often found the parent birds. I hope it works.

I also purchased another cage feeder, wait for the wind to subside before I attempt to hang the second one out.

Seems as if the expecting papa is out hunting and has yet found the feeder with the mealworms inside ...

Problem is, phoebes are flycatchers, and mealworms can't fly ;-)

Resin

Temp. has drops in the 30 - 50F degrees. Momma Phoebe is found here most of the time when I checked.

Now you tell me. lol. I've to figure out a way to attach wings to those little buggers! ROFL. Okay, come my Blue birds! Come kitties here is your mealworms. lol.

Kim, ours didn't eat the mealworms until their babies had hatched. They fed them to the babies. Hang on to them and put them out when they start bringing food back to the nest - I bet they will appreciate them then!

Debra, I'll. Unless the Blue birds find the mealworm feeder. The wiggling little critters will be here a while. I keep them refrigerated.

Ah, bright and shine with the morning sunlight, but no bird, I meant NONE has found these yum yums!

Wow! Nice feeder! Where did you find that? Maybe it's too fancy for them. LOL!

Maybe you could try setting some out in the open in a pie pan or plate and see if they find them. That's all we did and they scarfed them up. But they were feeding babies at the time, too.

Have you a "HomeGoods" locally? With the economy changing rapidly, lots of local stores 'reengineering' and some went bankrupted. Many furnitures stores went out of business. In its place (a furniture store) this Homegoods has moved in and they're making good business with selling home decorations, pots/pans and garden's hardwares for a very resonable price. The feeder was but around 5 dollars. The inner plate is my condiment's dish that I sacrificed. LOL.

Thanks for the though, Debra, I'll see if I can find some dish shape ware around the shed. I just didn't want anything that will heat up and cook the live feeds. Temp. is still breezy but will reach the 70'ish today.

Anything will work - clear plastic pot liners, terra cotta pot saucers, cake pans, tin plates like frozen pie crust comes in, etc. Probably even a paper plate if it's weighted down with a rock. I just set mine on the ground but tried to put them where it got some shade. Usually put it out in the morning and early evening so it didn't get full sun. The worms didn't last very long once they found them! If your birds don't eat them I bet your ducks will!

Ah, these fellas are nesting nearby too, so I guess once the mealworms are discovered, I can look forward to get the cage-feeder up. :-)

Everyday the Parents bird seem to have been very busy by the nest....

...then finally this afternoon, I heard the chicks calling/chirpping. And here they are!!! I wished I had a better camera's len available for this shot. The next best thing is for me to pull out the tall tall ladder, lol.

They are so cute Lily!

Thanks Pelle, I was delighted. All is well with the world! It could have been a second brood for all I know. I'm glad they're there and healthy. ^_^

Oh, I'm going to entice the parent birds with some mealworm tomorrow.

They are darling Lily!

Thanks Rose. They make my heart sings. ^_^

Here is a picture of mama or papa coming home to the nest and fed the babies. The activity was in a frenzy for a long while as I and hubby stood and watched the busy parents. The two took turn, to fly out captures a bug, then return to the nest.

...Made it! One mouth is fed, the next one is lining up, and is on the way.... ^_^

...okay, it's your brother's turn! Move over please.

...As mom left, Dad was on the way back in to feed the chicks. And the scene went on for a long while. Last pix for tonite.

So cute Lily!! It's great that your able to see them so well.

Great photos, Kim! Yes, they are cute! The parents work so hard. I don't know when they have time to eat themselves.

Our phoebes fledged this weekend. They were sitting on the edge of the nest Friday evening around 7pm as it was getting dusk. I was hosting a Roundup the next morning and I was worried that we would have baby birds underfoot, but they were nowhere to be found Saturday morning. I hope they all survived the deluge we got. It rained all weekend.

We made it through the bad weather over the weekend. I did keep my dogs indoor most of the time for the little birds were really active. I'm not sure if they've fledged under such strong wind. Hope all is well. The Carolina wrens and the brown thrashers nearby also busy feeding their young. Such a busy season for the birds.

Debra I hope you've enjoyed the RU, we're are so bummed out that we couldn't attend ours in La.

Sounds like a busy place there with all the babies. Sorry you missed the RU.

I've good news! While taking my morning walk around the garden I heard alot of commotions going up on the tree top. Looking up I saw 3-4 juveniles Phoebes together and one by one took off as I walked by. So they did successfully fledge! Phews! It's like sending your kids off to college. lol.

That's great Lily! Glad you got to see them.

Congrats! Job well done!

I think they were waiting for you to walk by so they could show you how grown up they are.

Wonderful Lily...hope you get to see them again!

Thanks all. That made me feel good, now I know how it feels like to be a proud bird-grand parent. lol.

I'm glad to share this news; they're still in the garden. I just saw the parent(s) Phoebe flying back and forth feeding these youngsters:

I see the 3 huddling close together waiting for mama or papa to return. Isn't that sweet?

Very sweet!!

Pelle, are they done nesting for the season? DH wants to reconnect the flood lights. I guess from early March until now, they're done for the year?

Kim, ours always had 2-3 broods.

You mean I'll get to see this beautiful process repeating two more cycle for the season. That by itself is a precous gift! Thanks Debra.