|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 3, 2020 10:51:17 GMT -6
Yesterday's unseasonably warm weather, brought several mating pairs of Eastern Bluebirds back to the region. I love hearing their songs on bright, fresh, Spring mornings.
Yesterday, they were busily hopping from tree trunk to tree trunk, in search of abandoned woodpecker holes, often avoiding the bluebird boxes that were already there.
Later in Spring, they won't be so picky, and I'll have several families of bluebirds living along the path to my garden.
Bluebirds don't seem to mind the presence of humans so much as other bird species, and seem to actually enjoy some interaction with people during the warmer months of the year. In late Spring, they'll learn to follow the lawnmower, in search of an easy meal for their young. By mid-Summer, they'll parallel me in the woods, flying along, tree to tree, beside me, as I walk to the garden each morning.
Bluebirds are territorial, so it's not good to place bluebird boxes too close together, but I place as many of them as they will tolerate. I probably have 10 bluebird boxes located in various trees across our 5-acres. I walk past 4 or 5 of them each day while doing chores. The bluebirds get so used to me peeking inside the cutout hole in front that they often don't fly away from the same tree.
I had one land on me once, out in the garden. I don't think it really meant to, as it froze, just as soon as it realized what it had done. So I walked over to the nearest tree and set it on a branch, where it stayed until I was a ways off before it flew away.
They'll play in the garden while I'm still in it, flying cage to cage along my long rows of tomatoes. They are hands down my favorite common bird, though I really enjoy seeing Indigo and Painted Buntings, the bluebirds are always more friendly.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Feb 4, 2020 9:22:47 GMT -6
We only have a few of them at our place. But I am always impressed how the sparrows hang out in the garden, hunting insects. Wild life like this is one of the extra perks of gardening!
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 5, 2020 12:40:06 GMT -6
When we first moved here back in 2004, there were no Bluebirds at all, which made me sad, because I've always had Bluebirds around my house. That was one of the things that made my house feel like 'Home'.
The second Spring after we moved here, I built three or four Bluebird boxes and studied up about the best places to locate them. By mid-summer, I had a happily mating pair living right in my back yard. (None of our fields were cleared at the time), so our yard was the only break in the timber for quite some distance.
I watched the new Bluebirds diligently, tying a hammock nearby to observe them during breaks, while working near them, in my very small garden at the time.
To my horror, one morning, I looked out the back door to see the head of a black snake poking out of the Bluebird house. The snake had eaten all my baby birds and was now too fat to come back out of the hole.
I went outside, started the truck, then took the lid off the birdhouse and caught the snake by its neck and transported it far, far, away.
Fortunately, it was early enough in the season that the Bluebirds were able to incubate a second clutch of eggs, so by summer's end, I had six Bluebirds, two adults, and four juveniles.
Ever since that time, I've had them return each year, bringing their extended family to nest again. Each year, I build new boxes in hopes of a bigger return. So far, they have never let me down. I love seeing them when they fly back each Spring. By Autumn, they are often tame enough to sit with me in the same tree before they leave in late November.
I have a tree house that is 5' feet wide by 16' feet long. I've counted as many as nine Bluebirds amongst the branches of the trees that support its weight as I lounge in my lawn chair about 10' feet off the ground, just enjoying the time we have together before they migrate South for the winter once more.
|
|
|
Post by john on Feb 12, 2020 6:54:00 GMT -6
Hi Ron we have bluebirds in the location where I live. I grew up about 30 miles from my current location and never saw a bluebird there. (I don't think they had the right mixture of woods and fields for habitat) I was surprised to find that you have observed bluebirds leaving in the winter so I had to look it up to see what was going on as I see them here all winter. I guess that in some locations bluebirds leave there nesting grounds and congregate with other bluebirds in a different location, they then will return in the spring. I found this little web page that explains it www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/maps-range
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 13, 2020 13:13:36 GMT -6
Thanks, John
What they do all winter has always been a mystery to me. They don't all leave at once. Some hang around until all the food plays out I suppose? I've tried putting meal-worms out in winter feeders but they take no interest in those.
Then one warm morning before Spring arrives, they'll start trekking back home with the arrival of the Robins.
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 13, 2020 13:32:53 GMT -6
Another good video about creating a Bluebird Trail between your home and wherever you like to walk each morning.
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 13, 2020 13:52:27 GMT -6
The Secret Life of Bluebirds.
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 18, 2020 11:48:51 GMT -6
There were so many Chickadees out looking for nesting places this morning that it made me want to look into what kind of boxes they might like to have as well.
|
|
|
Post by heavyhitterokra on Feb 15, 2023 16:00:31 GMT -6
OPERATION BLUEBIRD BOX I've been hearing bluebirds singing nearby for a week or more but until this morning I've not been lucky enough to find where they were. I can only hear out of one ear, so I can never pinpoint sounds like other people can, that makes it tough to tell what direction the birds are in.
This morning I didn't have to guess where they were though, they seemed to be everywhere I looked! There were at least 6 of them flying from tree to tree, near our mailbox and didn't seem to mind at all that I was standing right there with the mailbox open, watching and counting them.
After the flock of bluebirds drifted away, I took a walk in our pasture to check on the condition of my old bluebird houses and decided it would be best to start replacing some of them before the nesting pairs start looking for new homes.
Right away, I went into 'production mode' and had several boxes sawn up and painted, ready to nail together by noon.
Today was perfect the weather for that project. It was 73° by 2:00 pm, so I was able to get a lot of work done. By about 3:00 pm the paint was already dried and the new boxes were ready to be nailed together. I thought I'd better put a rush on that project today while we have plenty of sunshine, tomorrow's high is forecast to be in the mid-30s.
The layout, waiting for paint to dry.
Box #1 up and ready.
Box #5 hung and ready for new tenants.
All I need now are 6 pairs of happy bluebirds, all looking for a new home.
|
|
|
Post by woodeye on Feb 15, 2023 19:29:07 GMT -6
Great job, heavyhitterokra. Your production mode is much faster than mine, I sure hope the bluebirds like their new houses. I don't know if the birds can see in color or not, but if so the paint job should bring them right in...
|
|