Yesterday, I was really not looking forward to the forecast of snow and a low of 30°F...it actually impacted my mood.  I was bummed.

This morning, however, I ended up.braving the cold and strolling the property with camera in hand.  By the time I got to the second acre, I spotted the pair of bluebirds at the staghorn sumac berries.  I started taking photos...that is when I noticed other species there as well--at least one that I did not recognize.   (It ended up being an Eastern kingbird--thanks to a quick Internet search.)

Aside from the birds (which was a huge highlight), I enjoyed being surrounded by a greening world, several trees leafing out, the serviceberry still blooming, birds singing, the sun streaming down...and...snow blowing around as it fell--not what I expected, well into May--but it made for an almost magical moment. 

Now, spring can resume.  (Another day or two with lows near freezing, but then it should warm up again.)

Quite a lot of photos from today...

The Wrong Box

I have been looking in the wrong box.

Since spotting the male bluebird a week or so ago, I have periodically checked the nestboxes.  Their favorite one was empty, as was the one in the far corner of the property, the one mid-way that is mounted to the telephone pole, and the one closest to the house near the end of (what I call) the meadow.

I have since seen him with the female.  Today, I don't a shot of the pair sitting in the dogwood--the male obscured by branches, unfortunately.

After seeing them, I went out to check the nestbox mounted to the telephone pole.  I thought it was the only one I had forgotten to clean out from last year.  When I opened it, I saw what seemed to be a completed nest!  I am glad I realized it was fresh.

I stuck my phone inside near the roof and blindly took some pictures.   Sure enough, not only was it fresh, but it already had four eggs in it!  One more to go! :)

Bluebird Sighting

The other day, I thought I caught a flash of blue when I saw a bird flying to a bush.  The distance and lighting made it difficult to be sure, but yesterday, there was no mistaking it--a male bluebird.

Despite him letting me get somewhat close, I still didn't get the best shots.  There should be ample time for that when they start nesting.

It definitely seems like spring now! :)

An Unexpected Surprise...

For the past two weeks or so, I had been checking my nestboxes periodically--but mostly just their favorite and the new one that I saw a pair checking out.  On occasion, I would look in two others.  It seems to me, I only looked at the one in the far corner once (the path there had become overgrown last year). 

Today, I checked it out, and noticed what I thought was an old nest from last year that I forgot to clean out.  Looking inside and seeing some eggs still had me thinking that it was an unsuccessful clutch from last year, but, when I  put my phone in and took pictures, I realized the eggs were blue...and newly laid--the bluebirds are back!  :)

Seeing no nest-building over the past two weeks had me prepared for my first year without bluebirds.  I'm happy that does not seem to be the case.

New Year's Day

Not a bad start for the new year.  I didn't plan it.  Although it was overcast, today was in the 40s, so I went out to walk the property.

My plan (and my attempt) to create a native meadow has started and stalled many times over the past few years...but that is another story.  One section had some locust trees seed in and begin to take over.  There were more than I realized...and by the looks of them, they had been growing for a few years.

Over the summer, I noticed the largest ones...and decided they had to go...but I didn't want to do it when there was a possibility that birds might be nesting in them.  Today, I finally took a chainsaw to them.

Before

After

This spring, I inadvertently attracted house wrens while trying to attract a second pair of nesting bluebirds.  I put up a new nestbox in the far corner of our yard.  Instead, house wrens moved in...and ended up killing the newly hatched bluebirds.  I am determined not to let that happen again.

Not only will I be removing all except the original nestboxes, I plan to make the meadow go back to early stages of succession, so it is less attractive to the house wrens.  Removing these invading locust trees is the first step.  (We do have several full grown locust on the property, so this will likely be a recurring battle in the coming years.

For now, I am smother the stumps, to prevent regrowth.

I took the (thorny) locust into our "woodland" and created another brush pile--combining it with the Amur honeysuckle bushes that I cut down in the spring (from the neighbor's property--with their permission).

House Hunting 2018

After showing up at the end of February, I spotted the male bluebird today perched upon their favorite nestbox.  He could have been in the yard countless times between then and now without me having noticed.  He was a welcome sight on this gloomy day. :)

Early Return!

Today, my second day participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count, I strolled from the bay window over looking the back yard, in the the kitchen to view the side yard.  In the distance, I could see movement as the sun reflected from some light colored feathers.  I grabbed my camera.

After zooming in, it didn't take long for my excitement to grow.  I quickly realized that I was seeing a bluebird--then I realized there was a pair of them checking out the nestbox closest to the house.  We are fortunate enough to have had a pair of bluebirds here every year since I put up the first nestbox our first spring here (10 years ago).  This is not the box they usually choose, and it is too early to know if this is the one that they will use.  I am just thrilled to see them.

The funny thing was, it took me a couple of minutes to realize that I had to check the time and document them for the Great Back Yard Bird Count--maybe because they don't come to the feeders, it just didn't occur to me that these too are birds! ;)

Each year, I wonder how devastated I would be if they did not return and raise their young here.  Although we are experiencing several unusually warm days (40s and 50s--near 60 yesterday), we had an extended period of frigid weather earlier this year; I was afraid they wouldn't make it through.  So, today was an extremely pleasant surprise.  It has really felt like spring to me lately, today, even more so.  That said, the snow that is predicted for tonight has started falling outside the window beside my computer screen.

Bluebirds bring happiness...

 

A Colorful Spring

For a long while, I have been planning on posting about biodiversity--my plan has always been to photograph each wildflower as it comes into bloom each spring...and document the diversity of native wildflowers that I have added (or been lucky enough to find already growing on the property--these are few and far between...but they are here).  Instead, my first post about biodiversity will be reflected in a few bird species that really caught my eye this spring.

Growing up, aside from the more common feeder birds, I never had bluebirds or indigo buntings...and only a rare sighting of a Baltimore oriole (perhaps not even on our property).  Living in the country (and creating habitat) has given me the opportunity to see several species here that I was never lucky enough to see before.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet...I've got close to a rainbow...all spotted this year:

Of course, the biodiversity doesn't end there...I have many others--many common, some never common to me.  With spring, the catbird returned, later, the Baltimore oriole--which has nested here for several years (perhaps as long as we've been here...but I've only noticed in the past few years).  I am pleased to have spotted a rose-breasted grossbeak again this year as well.

Hopefully, some day I will document all of the biodiversity of plants and animals that have visited...or even made a home here.  For now, I had to share my colorful spring birds.

Officially Back

The other day, I was thinking that the bluebirds had yet to make an appearance.  As always seems to happen this time of year, I begin to wonder if I will have a year without them nesting.  Luckily, they have nested in our yard since our first year here when I put up the nestboxes.  Not having seen them, I decided to open their favorite nestbox, half-heartedly hoping for a strand or two of grass...some sign that they might be around.  I was surprised and thrilled to see a partially built nest...at least half-way done, I'd say.

Still, I had yet to see them or get a photo.  Until today. :)

They are officially back!

Prime Real Estate

Today, I spotted the male perched atop their favorite house again.  When I grabbed the camera and zoomed in, I noticed that the female was inside with her head peeking out through the hole.  I was pleased.  ~smile~  Although they built their nest in March, I checked a few days ago and saw no eggs.  This is a good sign.

I went outside (beautiful day, sunny and in the 60s) to get some better shots.  As I was walking out into the field (I can't wait to be able to call it a meadow once I've established native grasses and wildflowers)...I spotted another returned visitor--four of them actually; the tree swallows have returned as well.  They were soaring and diving around the open space above our property.  I figured they were house hunting and just enjoying the spring weather and the feelings it brings. :)  Normally, they choose two other nestboxes from the five or six I've put up...but, today, I realized that they had their eye on the house that the bluebirds have already built their nest in.  I'm not happy.

I expect the bluebirds to win the standoff--but, I've never really noticed them competing before.  I hope it doesn't get ugly.

(Pictures to follow--I'm having trouble uploading them at the moment.)

Spring is in the Air

Despite the dusting of snow still on the ground in the shady areas when I got up, today felt a lot like spring to me--yesterday too.  I was outside both days.  I was actually happy for the snow, since I had planted some of my meadow seeds outside yesterday (more on that in another post), and I am hoping they will go through some more freezing and thawing (although the forecast has us in the 60s this week--and it is only early March).

I took a few shots of some birds that frequent our yard because of the frequent offerings of black oil sunflower seeds.  I was hoping the emerging pussy willow buds would add a sense of spring to the photos of the birds perched there.

These were the bird photos I thought I'd be posting about.  Little did I suspect that my favorite tenants would show up today! :)

Walking into the kitchen, I peered out the window into the side yard...

It always surprises me that I can spot a bird approximately 300 feet away--although, I've been mistaken at times...this time, I felt sure that the bluebirds had come to check out their favorite nestbox in the yard.  (I'm glad I cleaned it out a month or two ago.)  In my excitement, I ran for the camera that I'd left in the other room.  Sure enough, their was a bluebird perched atop the birdhouse.

The photos are not that clear, but clearly the pair has returned (I always assume it is the same pair that I started with...or some of their descendants).  Although I am happy to see a multitude of native birds nest in the yard (and I want more), when the bluebirds return to nest, it always brings me a special kind of joy. ~smile~

 


Last year, for some reason, I was concerned that they would not return.  They did.  However, they only raised one brood instead of the two (sometimes three?) that they normally do--a pair of tree swallows took their favorite box after their first brood fledged.  I'm hoping that they maintain control of that nestbox and are able to raise three broods this year--if my gut is right, it will be an early spring.  If so, perhaps with an early start, they can squeeze in three broods. :)