Bluebird Nesting

So thrilling to check the bluebird house and find this marvelous miracle happening before my eyes... and since the mother wasnt anywhere nearby I can only assume that she hasnt finished laying.. or else she'd be sitting.... and her handsome husband would be foraging for her. I'll check it out again tomorrow..

Bluebirds Return

How sweet it was this morning to look out at the birdhouse and see Mrs. Bluebird revisiting her previous abode, checking out its occupancy and planning out her new nest. She has been busily seeking out just the right grasses and setting about to align her cozy home!

It is wonderful to know that this second roosting will begin anew and offer me so much excitement as I await the miracle of God's creation!!!

Photo by Amanda!

Bluebirds Have Fledged

On about May 2, 2009 my bluebird became home to a brood of bluebird hatchlings. The mother had laid 6 eggs altogether, but 4 of them did not hatch, probably due to the cold snap we had on that first week following her laying. Probably only the last two she laid were viable.

This photo I found on the Texas Blue Bird Society site just to demonstrate what we are talking about.

On May 7 our Bluebird expert, Dottie, came by to investigate and deemed them about 5 days old based on their developments. Today 21 days following their hatching they are gone. I know the mother was still bringing them food yesterday afternoon. When I didnt see any activity there today I investigated and found the nest empty. I cleaned it all out, actually it was really very tidy considering. Bluebird parents actually carry most of the excrement away in a small white sac to keep the nest as clear as possible!Fascinating!!!

Now I am hoping for another nesting. I will be carefully watching for another couple to set up housekeeping!!!

This birdhouse at my mom's is home to another bluebird family. When the parents bring food the din is amazing...it sounds like many hungry mouths.I would love to be sitting there on the patio when they fledge!!!

Click here to listen to bluebird chatter!

Red Letter Day

Well, this has been a red letter day. I sent a forward out last night that told me I'd get a miracle today and I do believe this constitutes as such!!! As you know I have been anxiously awaiting activity at my bluebird house and as of last week I did have a lovely couple move in, but the weather has been so cold, there had been so sign of any eggs......until today!!!! I went out to investigate and I had not 1............................................................................

not 2..........................................
but 3 eggs, and since the hen was not sitting on them or whatever you call that she does, HEHHEHEHE, it is supposed that there may actually be more eggs to come. This being the first hatching of the season, the female will lay one egg early every morning until she is through and then she starts sitting on them so they all hatch at once! YAYA!! I called our bluebird trail leader, Dottie, this morning and made my official report for the week! I am so pysched!!!

For lunch today I treated Mom and Dad at Annie Moore's Pub. So great! They really enjoyed the atmosphere, music, and food! It was wonderful fun! Heehee, Mom will probably get me for this one, but she chose to pose getting ready to take a bite instead of smiling for me.

Dad was more cooperative!

Then I went shopping this afternoon and got some great goodies, and when I got home Dogwood had partnered up with Rosebud and were frolicing on the sunroom table!

I need to ask Stacey who really knows her sheep, "Do two lambkins make a flock? "

Bluebirds

This morning as I was inspecting my bluebird house it was so precious to see the beautiful male and female presiding over their domain. Just as an inquisitive blackbird was poking around the house, the fearsome duo attacked from two directions driving the prospective invader away. This bluebird couple is definitely demonstrating their ownership of their newfound home and hopefully are ready to establish a family within their newly formed nest. I inspected it today. Exquisitely fashioned of clean neatly ordered pine needles, its base softly hollowed out ready for its treasured deposit. I hope their will be eggs very soon. Soon afterward the female pleasantly roosted atop her home as her mate situated on the ground defended from below.

So I am officially part the

Falcon Ridge Bluebird Trail

As of yesterday we have 14 sites reporting:

5 nests

1 nest with 2 eggs and another nest with 3 eggs

I will be checking my nest again early next week and I pray there will be eggs!

I am so Excited

As you might remember a few weeks ago I saw a female bluebird visiting my birdhouse.

Then over the weekend I saw a handsome couple, male and female going in and out the door!, but I was concerned about the hanging feeder that was attracting other large birds to the vicinity. So today I went out and rearranged the feeder to a spot nearby and attached a container of freeze dried mealworms to the top of the birdhouse just for bluebirds. This moring I was restocking the feeder and I paked into the house and there was a nest. I ws too excited to investigate beyond that, to see if there were eggs! I will definitely be watching and waiting for my next opportunity to sneak a peak!

Bluebirds are so tidy. made primarily of pine needles, they are very identifiable by their neatness.

Just thrilling!

The Bluebird

Blue Bird
by Jody Dickey
High up on a twisted branch

of an old white oak tree

amongst the foliage of

its green leaves and acorns

sits a Blue Eastern Blue bird

I sit on my gazebo enjoying the

spring breeze with its floral

fragrance drifting from the tulips

I can hear his warbling whistle Tu-wheet-tudo

I tune out the sounds of the cars driving on

the busy street with their

stereos blaring and their loud

car horns a blowing toot-toot

everyone in a hurry to get somewhere

The hustle and bustleof the city street,

if they would take the time to care

they would hear something so sweet.

Everyday around noon

he will whistle a lovely tune

it is such a beautiful sound.

It is a melody of love

that he sings to God above.

I sit back in my old wicker chair

listen to the song he sings

I am blessed to hear him sing

high up in the old white oak tree.

Because I knew God was listening

to him sing a song

like he listens to my prayers

Then with a flutter of his blue wings

another Tu-wheet-tudo

high up in the azure sky he flew.

by JodyDickey

Yes, our Lord and Saviour is faithful to hear our prayers. His promises are sure and His will for our lives is good! Praise the lord, for our loving Father in heaven! Hallowed is His name!!

Bluebird Activity

My Peterson house stands sentinel in the backyard, in an appropriate spot, far from an overhanging limb, protected from predators like snakes, and cats.Enticingly, I have placed a bird feeder with favored seeds and such atop the house, and a bluebird's favorite suet hanging from belong, and alas, NADA! ZILCH! Nary a bird has been seen except one house wren that I am praying doesn't get too interested! I have nothing against them per se, it's just that I'm not after house wrens.
Wanted: A nice bluebird couple, to let,...free! Food and water provided! Occupancy available...immediately!
Looks kind of sad doesn't it?

Bluebird Reporting

Well, yesterday I did my first bluebird house monitoring. First, I slipped up to and stood to the side of the house and gently taped on the side. Then I carefully slipped the nail/in from the latch and while holding the front shut with my hand so as not to let it fly open I ever so carefully opened the front side just a small little bit and peeked inside. All I saw was a lazy spider and her web. I carefully dusted it away, closed the hatch and ruefully came in to send off my report to the Trail monitor who will make the official report. We had been told not to expect a third nesting this year, but I am still trying to attract them to the area. I have been feeding the birds a new mix and will put up a bluebird suet tomorrow near the house. It is not usual for adult birds to locate a place to live over the fall and winter so I am trying to make my site as attract as I can for them. I have created a bluebird journal. Today I recorded the birds I hve seen coming around the yard and feeder. I was thrilled to see 2 bluebirds chasing each other tree to tree this morning!

Bluebirds!

My friend, Dottie, has a keen interest in bluebirding. She has actually developed a bluebird trail in her neighborhood. Nearly a dozen homes in her area now have Peterson bluebird houses and she will be monitoring the nesting weekly. Dottie so kindly has made me an "honorary" bluebird trail participant, too, even though I live several miles away. Dottie, her brother, and special "babies", Heather and Holly were just here to install my Peterson birdhouse!There are very definite rules one must follow when erecting a bluebird house, mainly regarding protecting them from predators. I have seen bluebirds here in the yard so my chances are good to have some nesting soon. Dottie says bluebirds are about to do their third nesting for this season. She is such a great friend to be looking out for me and helping me forge ahead in this new endeavor. I pray I will be able to keep the momentum going as I develop this new interest.It is such a worthy goal to do everything in our power to grow the bluebird population.