With a mild winter and an early spring, it’s no surprise that the local birds have responded with nest building activity. Last week I noticed the bluebirds had finished a nest in one of the PVC nest boxes. This was the same box they used to successfully raise two broods of young last year.
bluebird nest in PVC nest box (click on any image to enlarge)
About a week after I found the nest, I saw the first egg. Today, five days later, there are five eggs in the nest. I suspect the female is done laying eggs for this clutch, but a sixth egg would not be that unusual. I will check the nest tomorrow for a final count.
bluebird nest with 5 eggs
The bluebirds are protective of the nest box. One or both of the pair will usually show up within a few seconds of anyone approaching the box. Today the male was on guard duty, and was using the nearby black cherry tree for lookout duties. He is all decked out in his bright blue spring plumage.
male bluebird in cherry tree
I’ve been putting up bird nesting boxes for almost 30 years now, but I still get pretty excited when I see birds using the boxes. I have a special affinity for bluebirds. They were there waiting for me when I moved to a small farm in Kentucky back in the mid-80s. And they were all over the rural property at the plant where I worked, so I put up a trail of nest boxes there. I knew when we moved here to Happy Acres that it was also prime bluebird habitat, so I can’t say I was surprised when they showed up here.
Puddin and Dusty watching from porch
Watching over the operation this morning were our two cats, safely inside on the screened porch. Dusty and Puddin are slowly but surely becoming buddies. And that is a good thing. I hope you are having a joyous Friday!
I love your bluebird posts. For the first time in my life I live in a place where there are bluebirds and love seeing them.
Our bird houses are all empty so far 🙁 Oh well, I can live vicariously through your bluebirds. They really are beautiful, and I love that come back to nest in your garden year after year.
The bluebirds have visited my bluebird box but I don’t think they’ve taken up residence yet. Isn’t it early for eggs?
Sadly, bluebirds are not a common thing in our region so I will have to enjoy them via your posts. We have many other delightful birds though and I noticed over the past week that they have really suddenly gotten very active and are “twitterpated” enough to be singing alot more (especially in the mornings). Got to love the sounds of springtime.
There’s something really beautiful and striking about birds with blue feathers – where I grew up we got blue wrens feeding all through the garden and they are just beautiful birds.
Clever! Would you mind showing more pics
I have two bluebird boxes. I saw a bluebird exit one of them, but I’m not sure they are nesting.
I have discovered that bluebirds enjoy eating Japanese beetle grubs. One year I had a lot of grubs in my mixed border. I would collect the grubs in a bucket as I worked. Then I would dump them out in a little pile about 30 ft. or so from the birdhouse. I would call out in a high voice, “Hi, Mr. Bluebird, I have some grubs for you.” I don’t know if he learned to recognize the sound of my voice or if from some distance he could see that white bucket. Anyway, he would show up and enjoy the feast.
Okay. I do have nesters. Saw Mama Bluebird flying out of the box just about every time I walked by today. I tried not to disturb her too much since we had a rather nippy morning, and I didn’t want her to be off the nest too long.
That is great. We have them around here but I need to get nesting boxes up for them.
Those are some beautiful eggs. 🙂 Congrats on your nesters!