Western Bluebirds

[Lighthawk]

For the last several years I've managed a bluebird box at work. We're located adjacent to a golf course and there's a wild patch of blackberries along the back fence. Known as Spring HIll, the headwaters of a creek with cattails is beyond the back fence.

Three out of four years a pair of western bluebirds have nested in the box I made. I've recorded shots with my Samsung Note2 phone or a Canon 7D2 camera.

April 29


May 2nd



May9



Mom and dad were busy finding the kids.








The box is only five inches square with four occupants. The parents remove deliver food and remove waste, but it is a crowded situation. About this time I noticed a rather freaky circumstance when I was looking at my Samsung phone and found there were minute insects crawling on the screen Further research determined these were feather mites. As the building manager I will clean out the box with dilute leach as soon as this year's brood is launched.

May 16




-------edit--------
May 21
Fledglings have flown the coop.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Andy, very neat that you've had success with your Bluebird boxes. I built a number of boxes, but never lured any in. The field next door is now being developed, so even less chance of getting them to come in. BTW, if you post to Birdshare on Flickr, Cornell often uses the shots in their articles.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Very nice!! Got a few in my yard.

Smoke

 

[ski3pin]

Very, very special, Lighthawk! I've been thinking building boxes for years. I need to move that thinking over to action. Thanks for the nudge! And the delightful photos!

 

[N'kwala]

Really neat. Thanks for photies.

 

[Lighthawk]

Very, very special, Lighthawk! I've been thinking building boxes for years. I need to move that thinking over to action. Thanks for the nudge! And the delightful photos!

We built several boxes at the same time, but only the one I took to work has been occupied. It's great amusement for a month or so every spring to watch the adults and monitor the nest. I have a slot where I can slip in my phone to take photos, which was a lucky accident. Some folks hinge the lid, but I just unscrew four screws and the whole front will come off for "spring cleaning"

It's great if you can mount the box where you can keep an eye on the activities. I can see the box from my back door, in the gravel yard where we park our trucks. So it was easy for me to monitor the birds in my daily routines. Beware predators; the outside of the box was scratched by cat/skunk/raccoon this year, but fortunately they were unsuccessful.

 

[Stalking Light]

Very cool

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

That is so cool Andy.I have a lot of bird houses around the yard.Most get used by House Wrens,Oak Titmice,Chickadees.
I make them with usually3/4" holes to keep the Jays and other lard birds out.
It's fun to watch or listen to the young in the house.
I haven't taken any photos inside but get some when the birds leave/enter.
Thanks Andy for sharing.
Frank