The Blues

I went out to check on the bluebird babies, unfortunately my new cellphone doesn't seem to take as good pictures as my old one--I've yet to get a good shot of the babies inside the nest.

Here are some of the parents who were watching nervously from a tree.

I'm hoping the house sparrows cause no harm. They are notorious for attacking bluebird nests. I'm hoping the nest boxes are far enough out in the clearing that the house sparrows can't fly that distance to the box. Last year, a pair passed through and the bluebirds raised two broods.

House Sparrows, Too :(

Unfortunately, I seem to have attracted a pair of house sparrows, too. :( Maybe I won't feed over the summer. I've never seen the house sparrows come to black oil sunflower seeds before. ~sigh~

Second Surprise of the Day

I glanced out the back window again while getting ready to go outside. I was stunned to see an indigo bunting--another bird I'm not used to seeing. I missed a good close up because there was no memory stick in the camera, (duh!) but I got this one at a distance.

Maybe I'll throw a few seeds out sporadically through the summer and see more varieties I normally miss.

Newcomer

I was pleased to see a rose-breasted grosbeak coming to the few sunflower seeds I threw outside yesterday. At least I think that is what they are called...too busy to get the birdbook out.

There were two, hopefully a pair. I grabbed the camera and was happy I didn't scare them away.

...After typing "hope they are a pair" I did grab the book. Females are streaked brown, so these are two males. :) (and I found that the correct spelling has only one "s" not two. ;)

Spring: The Past Few Weeks

Mama and Her Babies

They've hatched. :)

We were away for a day or two, and today I took two quick pictures with my phone--blindly--not very good, but it shows that the babes have hatched. :) I'm hoping to get some better close-ups of the parents as they feed their young.

Here to Stay

After a week or two of seeing a tree swallow popping its head out of the nestbox, I had yet to observe any signs of a nest being built inside. The other day, they were agitated at my walking past the nestbox. Today, I spotted them perched on an electrical wire. After snapping a few pictures, coming inside, and uploading them to the computer, I noticed there was a piece of dried grass in one's beak. Looks like they are building a nest and are here to stay. :)