Friday I checked on the nest box for a last peek at the bluebird babies. By my calculations they were twelve days old, and disturbing them after that point risks them leaving the nest prematurely. So from now on it’s best to just let nature take it’s course.
female and male bluebirds in tree (click on any image to enlarge)
During this visit, the parents once again sat quietly in the nearby cherry tree. For a minute, that is. This time I tarried a bit too long looking in the nest, and mama bluebird decided to spring into action. First she swooped behind me, then as I fumbled to get the nest box reattached to the pole, she swooped right over my head. I finally got things in order and quickly walked away.
young bluebirds at twelve days old
The young bluebirds are getting a nice set of feathers, and are even showing a bit of color. Like the last visit, they payed no attention to me. It is getting to be a box full of bluebirds though! If you look closely you can see all five of them in the above photo.
female bluebird after feeding young
Since the nest box is located not far from the house and screened porch, we have a ring side seat for feeding activities. The young have taken to coming to the opening and begging for food. We can see them there with beaks open. Yesterday I sat on the deck with camera in hand and captured these shots of first the female, and then the male coming to feed the young. The male looks like he has a woolly caterpillar in his beak. The young bluebird is waiting at the opening. I wonder if they stand on each other inside the box.
male bluebird with caterpillar in beak
That’s the latest bluebird update from Happy Acres. Hopefully my next update will be in about a week, when the box will be empty and the five young bluebirds will be out of the nest. Until then, the parents will be busy parenting and we will be busy watching!
Great photos!! How nice to have a ring side seat!
Great photos! It was nice to watch them grow up. I hope are able to see them fly from the nest for the first time.
These updates are great! Thank you for sharing them while keeping the best interest of the babies in mind! Cheers!!!
They look they’re growing so fast! It won’t be long now before they’re venturing out of the nest for the first time. So glad to see them doing so well, and I love the expression on the female’s face in that first photo!
How delightful! Your photos are wonderful. Bluebirds are among my favorite birds. I enjoyed watching a house full of bluebirds grow up and leave the nest this spring. Now my garden is full of young bluebirds, and the parents, after I cleaned out the old nest, have built another nest. I think they are going to have a second family!
They are growing fast! That nest box is filling up fast! It must be so thrilling to have front row seats to it all. I can’t believe how quickly they mature – birth to flight attempts in just under two weeks? Wow. That’s growing up fast. I’m very eager to hear (and hopefully see a few photos) on how it all goes! Such a gorgeous pictures of the parents, working hard at raising their family.