Dad and their home

Here a quick picture of the bluebird house so you can see what I mean about the location. I literally sit it there till I figure out where I might put it. The bungee was added after the eggs showed up. Plan it to raise the location to a safer place once these babies fly away.

Sound the trumpets...

...the big arrival has occurred. Finally after years, I have baby bluebirds. I've lived in my current home for almost 10 years and this is a first here - in fact a first for me period. When I was house hunting the main reason I settled for this house was because of the large overgrown field in the back. I'm wasn't looking at other houses just an old cow pasture let to grow which meant wildlife to me.

The first two years I had bluebirds around but they won't go near the many birdhouses I had put out. I moved them everywhere to try different approaches. It was almost torturous to have them around but I couldn't figure out the right match to get them to nest. Over the years it became a yearly challenge. Then about three years ago, they finally started building in one of the houses and I thought 'FINALLY' but for all those years they would start to build and then abandon their nest. This happened again this year, they built stayed a little while and then disappeared again as you can see from my first blog entries it was quite a high then low.

So again I was thinking 'what can I do differently.' So again I found myself in the bird supply aisle at Lowe's and once again I bought a new little different bluebird house. I came home that day and took down the one they NEVER use and replaced it with the new one. I took the old birdhouse and throw it in my garbage can. On trash day I had a change of heart about throwing the house out and figured I could put it somewhere later, so I simply sit it on the deck railing.

About a week later, there was grass sticking out the back of the old thing. I figured the chickadees had moved in. But a few days later the nest wasn't finished so I cleaned it out and left it there. Next day there was grass again but this time a full nest. I laughed and thought okay I'll let whatever it is use it. Within no time I saw them, the bluebird couple on the cable wires above and thought strange and then BAM she flew into the 'garbage' house. I laughed to myself and thought 'all these years and they build there' too funny.

So today is the record day. Bluebird babies in the 'garbage' house secured to the deck with a bungee cord - proving sometimes things just happen!

Yet another nest

Well, yet another shocker in the nesting arena. I've got a pair of nesting Brown Thrashers. They have chosen to nest right in the top of the hedge row beside my house. So I've marked where the nest is so that when I go to trim the bushes down I'll leave that area alone. It will look funny to those driving by but I'll know the real deal.

It's been quite a year here for nesting birds. I can now sit on the sit on my deck and watch pairs of chickadees, house wrens (2 sets), bluebirds and brown thrashers. Not bad and I've still got a few more houses for rent if there are anymore takers out there.

Attack....

So the indigo bunting was at the feeder and I decided to try again to get a 'good' picture of him which is easier said then done. I was snapping the shutter and watching him through the lens when BAM something freaked him out.

Well, the picture says it all. I guess this finch didn't want anything blue on 'his' feeder. Not the best picture but not one you can really plan for.

A flocking good time...

I was already thinking it's about time for a new blog entry but what should I write about. I was thinking I could do an update that my crazy bluebirds are still here but no signs of the eggs hatching yet but didn't think that was enough for a new post. Then thought I could talk about the indigo buntings but not much there either other than they are here. So I was debating on just what to talk about when I walked out at almost dusk and there is was - today's blog entry!

I walked out and looked around for the bluebirds when something in the top of the tree caught my eye. It was a group of birds but not a normal group of starlings or cowbirds. This group was reflecting color back at me, so in I ran back in the house for my camera. I use it as binoculars now. Take a picture at full zoom and then zoom the picture in on the little screen. So what was the group? It was cedar waxwings. Wow, they a beautiful with the setting sun on them and especially in a group. It's been a long, long time since I've seen these guys and I can say it was worth the wait.

Here's to hoping they stick around. If their name means anything then they should love the field of cedar trees in my back yard.

Fun little guy

If you have a feeder and especially a suet feeder then you've most likely seen this little guy, the Nuthatch. Talk about a bird that loves to be upside-down, that's this feathered friend. I've rarely seen them on flat surfaces except when they jump from my suet feeder to the deck for one quick review of whether to fly off or jump back on the feeder.

At my parents house they are often climbing up and down the bark of all their trees and really fun to watch. Their claws are meant for holding onto bark and not like any of the other 'normal' birds you'll see around the feeder especially in proportion to their size. They also have a nice sized beak which looks like it'd be good for getting bugs but I have to be honest and say I've only ever seen them eating at the feeders which doesn't require much of a beak just ask the neighborhood squirrels.

But one thing about the nuthatch that I can't figure out is how it got it's name, but I wonder that about a lot of birds like the Catbird! But that's a story for another day.

Spring is in the air

I can walk outside and tell Spring is definitely in the air. The bird couples are everywhere. Besides the pair of bluebirds that I'm happily watching, a pair of Titmouses were happily visiting the feeder together, a pair of towhees were jumping around in the grass and multiple pairs of House Wrens have their nests packed into the birdhouses. Of course there were also Mourning Doves, Cardinals and Blue Jays and those Cowbird whores (read earlier post for details on that one.)

There is one more pair that I need to confirm but I believe I have a pair of Indigo Buntings too. The male is obviously here all day everyday but I can't confirm the female. I believe I saw her once a few days ago but haven't seen her again. Believe me there will be more about these birds when I get a good picture but that male can leave the area faster than I can click the shutter. I have a few shoots but none good enough YET!

The above picture was taken this afternoon at the birdhouse in my back yard while watching a pair go in and out of the house I bought for my neighbor to put in his yard.

Bluebirds - Round 2

Well, I'm very happy to announce that the reason I started this blog is back in motion. My pair of bluebirds have taken up a new residence in another one of my birdhouses. Of course, this one is sort of funny. It's an old house that when out in the yard no feathered friends showed an interest in it. After about five years, I decided to replace it this year.

What makes it funny is that I actually put that house in the garbage then thought maybe I would put it out somewhere different so saved it from the clutches of Waste Management. I hadn't decided where to put it yet and simply set it in the corner of the deck railing.

A few weeks ago I went to move it and notice grass sticking out the bottom, thought it was strange, looked inside and there was the beginnings of a nest. About a week later I looked again and the same beginnings so I thought once again they simple hate this house. I cleaned it out and left it sit out of the way. Well, low and behold last weekend it started filling up again, this time more than before.

Earlier in the week I caught a female bluebird near it with a beak full of nesting material and thought "no way" - well 'yes way!' I decided to take a peek this evening and BAM at least three eggs and yes they are bluebird eggs. The proud parents are right there on the wires above. I've now secured the house to the deck and hoping that this nest lasts through the entire cycle of life.

Fitting Name

How could anyone not love the little chickadee? This is one bird that if you have a feeder out you will see and if you don't know it's a chickadee then just wait till you hear its call. This little guy proudly announces his presence over and over...chick-a-dee-dee-dee, chick-a-dee-dee-dee. If you hear that then you've got one of this little feathered friends near by.

One other thing about this guys is that they are loyal to their home, no migration here. If you have them in your yard they will be there all year round through snow and rain and heat of day, they will gladly visit your feeder usually for a quick seed grab and run but don't worry they will be right back for another.

I was lucky enough last year to have a couple take residence in one of my bluebird houses and actually got to see the one little chick they raised. Talk about cute - the young are the cutest with their fluffy feathers. Now, I'm happy to announce that I believe this year they have moved next door to my neighbors wren house so hopefully we'll have one or more little fluffy friends again. I hope to get pictures of the young this year and if and when I do I'll be sure to share.

To love a mockingbird

Everyone has heard of the term "mockingbird" but have you ever really heard one? They are a pretty amazing bird if you think about it. They have the ability to imitate other birds but the have a reputation for being quite annoying and thus you find scenes like in the movie "Failure to Launch" where a significant piece of the story line went the demise of one.

While I have one in my yard it's not quite movie material but my friend has one that really could be the stunt double for the Failure to Launch character. Of course some days are better than others but this mockingbird knows way too many sounds and he out to impress during all hours of the day.

Yesterday I was watching and listening to him thinking "I wonder if he naturally knew all those sounds or truly learned them all." This lead me to my favorite tool - Google where I found out that mockingbirds are one of the very few birds that continuously learn sounds throughout their whole life. There have been some that have been known to have learned over 200 different calls. They not only learn other bird's calls but they will also imitate any short repetitive sound like a car alarm, door bell, croaking frog and even a human whistle.

I'm planning on telling my friend this so the family can sit out and train their neighborhood mockingbird. I only hope that six months from now they don't hates themselves for teaching it new sounds.

Afterlife as a vulture

While I often say if there is an afterlife and you come back as a creature I want to come back as a bird, a vulture would not be my choice at all. However I do find myself often staring jealously at the occasional vulture that sails over. Especially on windy days like today.

Have you ever really watched a vulture fly? While the thought off there daily mission for food is not exactly appealing, their gift for floating on a breeze is amazing. On most if not all days, the vulture will circle the sky without a single flap of their wings. They have an amazing ability to glide effortlessly once airborne. I often find myself staring with amazement as they fly and then saying "I wish I could do that" and thing about an afterlife as a bird. But then remember that it's a vulture and who would ever want to come back as road kill cleaner. I wouldn't want that job in my human life so why in hell would I want it in my afterlife. I guess it would be like if the Department of Highways Road Kill Crew got to drive a Maserati then maybe more people want that job too.

Anyway, next time you see a vulture just watch it and forget about it's job and try to pay attention to the gracefulness of its flight!