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Friday, February 20, 2015

Bluebirds in the House


Those of you that know me well know
I
LOVE
birds.

For some reason we don't have many bluebirds.
We see them everywhere,
down the road,
around the bend,
on the fence posts,
but rarely on our property.

Years ago I went to our local backyard bird store to inquire about how to attract them.
They were very helpful and I purchased what they suggested.
A bluebird house
on a pole
with a feeding tray just beneath the house
and a baffle on the pole to keep the house safe from predators.

Bluebirds use pine needles to build their nests, which is what we use in our flower beds, so there are plenty around for them to gather.  We also have several bird houses hanging from trees here and there for other birds to nest in.

Placing the bluebird house where they said, in the direction they said, and using the food they suggested, the first year we had one brood nest in the house and I was so excited!

bluebird perching




Then nothing.
For several years...no bluebirds.

As instructed, when another bird began building a nest in the bluebird house I would remove it.
Time and time again, I would have to remove a sparrow, chickadee, or wrens nest.
However,
when there are eggs in the nest I don't have the heart to discard them so that bird wins the house!

After Christmas I began thinking about springtime and bluebirds, hoping we will have some this year.
So I got busy.
We now have two houses for them to nest in,
a special feeder made specifically for bluebirds,
and I stocked up on mealworms, bluebird nuggets and shelled sunflower seeds for them to eat.

The middle of January I began putting out the food,
mornings initially and for the past week or so both morning and afternoon.

Chickadees, tufted titmouse, Carolina wrens, and cardinals have been enjoying the food
and
then
finally
the bluebirds came!

I make a little whistle noise as I'm placing the food in the feeders
and
today
I hadn't walked but a few feet away after placing in the food
when
FOUR
bluebirds
came flying in to eat!

All of these shots are taken about 40 feet away from the feeder.
I wish I could have zoomed in closer.

This is the new bluebird feeder.
The sides are made of plexiglass for viewing the birds.
Each end is wood and has a hole cut out for the birds to fly in, eat a little, and fly back out.
The top raises for the food to be placed inside.
There is a baffle on the pole to keep the squirrels out of the feeder.

bluebird in feeder



The blue dish just beneath this bluebird house is also a feeding dish.

bluebird eating



The bluebirds fly in for a mealworm, nugget or shelled sunflower seed
and
then
they
fly back to perch on a nearby tree.

bluebird perching



They aren't nesting yet but you can see the pine needles just beneath the house.

bluebirds build nests with pine needles





And he takes off in flight for a bite to eat.

blue bird flying



Landing on the feeding dish he looks as though he can't decide what to choose,
a mealworm, sunflower seed or nugget?

bluebirds in the back yard



A tufted titmouse flies in.

tufted titmouse comes in for a landing




He chooses a nugget.

tufted titmouse eating




Here's a Carolina wren.

Carolina wren eating




We had a little snow and ice recently
and across the way on the well house the ice is melting.

bluebirds on the well house




The bluebirds have been drinking water from the melting ice.
She is tilting her head to the side so her tounge can drink in the water.


bluebird drinking



Then she leans her head back,
leaving her beak open just a little to swallow the water.

bluebird drinking




They are beautiful birds!

bluebird on the well house




bluebird




male bluebird perching


 I hope you've enjoyed the bluebirds!
Are you a bird lover too?


Hope you will join us each week for AMAZE ME MONDAY!




Sharing with: Home Sweet HomeShow and ShareInspire Me TuesdayWow Us Wednesday

23 comments:

  1. Yes, I am a bird lover! I have never been privileged to have bluebirds, but my sister gets them every year. I had a dream I had one 2 nights ago, I know, silly, but it's true. I love these photos Cindy. The bluebirds must know all the project work is over and they like the neighborhood, and think they might want to rent your condo. ;)

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  2. Cindy, what absolutely awesome photos of these beautiful bluebirds! Like you, we used to have them in our feeders and we even had a family in a nesting box that my son made in shop at school. I don't remember the last time I saw one here in my yard. We have every other variety but no bluebirds. I got so excited last week when we were in TN at our son's home....I was out on the back porch and there was a pair of them right up on the edge of the gutter that quickly flew into a tree. I would love to have them back in my yard!

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  3. Thank you for the beautiful bird pictures and commentary!

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  4. I'm a great lover of birds too, Cindy! Right now I'm enjoying them at the feeder in the backyard with our foot and a half of snow. The good news is that I've been hearing spring song!!! Yay!! Spring really is coming!

    Thanks so much for sharing your happy Bluebird experience. I hope you have several broods this year. [[hugs]]

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  5. How exciting, I totally understand I just love bluebirds. I could watch them alllll.day.
    I have seen them this past week and also some robins. Its always fun to say, "the bluebird of happiness is here ".

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  6. Beautiful little gifts from God for us to enjoy! Take care!

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  7. Oh I love this post!!!!

    We had our very first bluebirds last spring and early summer - but we didn't know about getting rid of encroatching house stealers - oh there was such a territorial fuss! And then a hawk came and killer them. I cried more than once.

    I am sharing this with husband, perhaps we can improve on things,. love all your hints. They are such cute birds, so chubby and adorable!

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  8. I am thrilled for you! You are so dedicated and it paid off...the pics are incredibly amazing!

    We have lots of varieties of birds in Michigan as opposed to our city home in Chicago...I need to find ways to attract the natives!

    So happy for you! :)

    Jane

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  9. I've never seen one in person, only photos that you fortunate people share with me. LOVE the photos!

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  10. I love your nature photos, and birds are a lovely way to start the day.

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  11. Oh- Aren't those the cutest things? We don't get them here...at least I have never seen any. I am so happy you have them! We love birds and feed them all winter. I love our mourning doves, too, with their soft mournful cooing sound. You got some really GREAT pictures of them. Have a wonderful weekend...maybe they will be building their new homes over the weekend. xo Diana

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  12. I love these! Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Oh, your pictures are wonderful! We put up a bluebird house last summer and they came within days. Our pair had babies last summer and we got to watch them. I just love seeing them. The bonus is that they don't migrate from here and we've seen them all winter. Can't wait for a new batch of babies. :)

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  14. Thank you for the gift of seeing these bluebirds. We have none around where we live but I remember them at my grandparents' farm as a child. Love your blog!

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  15. You know I am! I saw and had my first bluebirds in Tyler, Texas. Nowhere else in Texas had I seen them. Moved here. Put up the bluebird houses. Nothing. Maybe I need to try to find that feeding box you got. By the way, don't know if you already do this or not. But for my bird photos, before I size them down, I crop down real close and if it's a good pic, then size it down. I do use my zoom lens too.
    Brenda

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  16. I'm definitely a bird lover, Cindy! I spend way too much money on food for them during the winter. Bluebirds are such cuties so I can imagine your excitement. I haven't seen any this winter, but they hang out in the garden with me (to catch bugs) every summer.
    Farmhouse hugs,
    Cindy

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  17. Love those little guys...great pictures! Jane

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  18. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures and story! I really enjoyed seeing them!

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  19. Oh how fun to watch these birds all day....great pictures! We have one little feeder we can see from the house that attracts blue jays and cardinals. I keep forgetting to fill it with seed....going to do that right now!

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  20. So glad the bluebirds finally came!...you have such a variety of beautiful birds that visit....they just put a great smile on your face when you see them....gorgeous pictures Cindy!

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  21. One Easter we rescued a bluebird fledgling. We named him "Duncan." When he finally flew away from us, we were so worried for his safety. My mother and I felt like our child had left home. It was such a sad day, but then hours later Duncan returned. He perched up on the roof of the house behind us and was chirping at us and showing us how well he could fly. It was the most amazing experience of my life! Words can't describe how surreal that experience was because there was some honest-to-goodness communication between us going on there.

    I LOVE bluebirds. We've always had bluebird visitors, but since moving near the country we now have dozens of them.

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  22. These are some wonderful photos. I grew up out on the prairie as well as in beautiful BC and Alberta and have a deep love for birds and Gods little creatures. They seem very grateful for such a nice food source. Thank you for the smile:).

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  23. I love bluebirds. So sweet you get to watch them! Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home!

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