And here is an assortment
of bird moms. When I was a new birdwatcher, I mistook the parent birds for the babies because they look so unkempt, you can see this here on the Chickadee, but Bluebirds and many other go through the same. It takes a lot of energy to raise tiny baby birds, which is why they all look a bit scraggly, as the summer proceeds. The Grosbeaks and RWBB will also soon have fledglings. Exciting times are ahead, and I will try to be a bit more diligent about posting. Also, happy Juneteenth!
The frost warning from last night
was hopefully the last one for the season. I moved the baby plants to a sheltered spot and was happy I had not planted anything yet. And it is warming up outside again now. There are nests, full and empty, finished or in progress, all over the place. I know the Grackles have babies because the other day I found Grackle egg shells in the pond, and now they drop their diapers in there and come to dunk nuts in the water too. And yesterday, there was this dedicated parent with a beak full of insects. The Redwinged Blackbird is in this set too because it’s such a pretty photo.
Video: The nesting material station
Like every spring, I put out a little nesting material station this week. The cement bowl contains mud mixed with leaves and grass. Behind it is some moss and alpaca wool. Several visitors have come to check it out, so I created a little clip (this is edited, they did not come by in such rapid succession). You can see a Grackle, a Blue Jay, a Chipmunk, a Chickadee, a Cardinal, a Flicker, a Groundhog and eventually someone who takes nesting material 😃
Gayle and Mr. Business
have been teaching their babies how to live and survive in the world, and they have started to bring them to the backyard. I have heard them begging and saw some glimpses but they are still keeping them up in the trees. Gayle has also started to build another nest yesterday. I hope to see the babies up close soon too.
I think it is safe to say
that the Grackles have babies now. I love this time of the year, because I get to see what crawls and lives in my backyard by the stuff the birds bring on their shopping trips for the young ones. I also saw a young Starling today.
Spring is in the air,
and there is no denying it, despite the frost, and the birds are starting to show up as couples. I saw Blue Jays gathering stuff, the Robins are becoming more defensive, the MoDos are snogging things up and the House Finches are getting romantic. So much to see, such nasty weather!
Nestbox news: A labor of love
Gayle has been working on the nest a lot even up until this morning but today around 11 she was finally done. She settled in and laid the first egg of the season. It is always fascinating to me how these small living beings are able to create something so delicate as a 1 inch egg and raise a fully fledged bird out of it within about a month. As you can see, laying the first one is quite the task, it looks like she is experiencing labor. The sparrow spooker is up and I am very happy. She will now lay one egg per day until her clutch is complete, and will then start to incubate. Here is to a great nesting season!
Nestbox news: Almost done!
After the framework mostly made of pine needles, Gayle is now shaping the nest cup and lining it with soft materials like grass and feathers. This looks pretty much done now. I love how thick the "walls" of the nest are, this should be very helpful if we are experiencing another sudden frost, which can always happen during spring in Michigan. The old box did not allow for a cozy nest like that.
Nesting season
is pretty much in full bloom right now. I still see some birds gathering nesting material, but many others are either coming a lot less to the feeders or when they come quickly stuff their beaks and take off. Funnily enough, during this rather slow time at the feeders, sometimes birds make it to the bowl that usually don’t go there, like this female Redwinged Blackbird. They are a rather shy and humble bird, kind of in the shadow of their vibrant male counterparts, but I love their kind faces and their subtle colors.
Dr. Clara and Mandrake
and me have had a rough couple of days. After they sucessfully fledged four babies, the couple disappeared as usual to show the babies the world. They did come back occasionally to feed and check on the box. One day, however, a House Sparrow took a liking to the box. This was a first, it has never happened in five years. I use a Gilbertson box, which they usually do not like, with fishing line around the entrance, and the sparrow spooker also was still up. Shooing and spooking the sparrow did not deter him and his lady. One day, I was not home for one hour, and the sparrows had started a nest in the Bluebird box. House sparrows are invasive to the US and can have negative effects on the breeding success of native species like the Bluebirds. I will not let them nest in my boxes.
Eventually, I took the Gilbertson down. After one day, the sparrows moved on. I was very upset about this whole situation and decided to be proactive. I researched and built another box, a slotted style called Troyer. The slot and its relatively small volume are something that HOSP are usually not fond of. The slot lets in lots of light, and they like it dark and deep. The slot opening also enables the female to escape if a House sparrow should go in there to attack her. I also updated the camera in the same step. Now the BBs have brought their baby (it looks like possibly one one of the four has survived this far) to the backyard yesterday, and they have been checking out the new box already too. I hope this all works out, I did not like changing things like that mid-season but I did not want to keep the old box up that the sparrows ended up liking. This is a weird spring.
For more information on how to help Bluebirds and other native cavity nesting birds, check out sialis.org.
Nesting season has really begun,
and one way to tell that is birds coming to the feeders getting their beaks full or even bringing stuff while on the way. This is why we don’t use chemicals in our yard. The birds collect insects and feed them to their wee ones. I always find it interesting what they bring, it gives me insights into the secret bug life of my garden.
Videos: The tree setup
The camera I set up in a tree is proving to be an entertaining setup, especially in the morning. Here, a Blue Jay comes to hide one single seed and then a bit later comes back to retrieve it. The female Oriole came to check out the nesting material options. I put nesting wool (I got mine from Wild Birds Unlimited), grass and roots in there. Don't use dryer lint, hair from pets with treated fur, or yarns. Audubon has a nice article about what is safe for the birds to put out.
BB update!
Two of the Bluebird babies have fledged today! And unfortunately, I was not htere to witness it. It was kind of funny, I knew they were getting antsy from seeing them in the box, so I got my camera ready outside. And then I waited. And watched them. And waited more. They teased a lot, several times a baby was half way out throughout the day, and then just got back into the box and they all napped. It is a big step to leave that nest. I thought things would happen tomorrow. But in between when I took breaks, things happened. Two babies made it out and will spend an exciting night with Dr. Clara and Mandrake out in the big world. The two in the box are cuddling and will fledge first thing in the morning, I reckon. They look adorable, sleeping in the nest, turning like a tiny clock and breathing in unison. Bird babies are the best.
Video: Home improvement for the Robins
Robins use mud to fortify their nests. I have seen them starting to build the other day and thought it would be fun to make a little mud pit for them. It has been dry for a bit so they seemed to appreciate it. I mixed soil and water with some small roots and dried leaves.
Video: Snack time!
The Bluebird babies are growing and developing well, mostly because they get constantly fed by their attentive parents. The parents like to come for a snack at the mealworm bar but the babies get the good stuff. Here, Mandrake brings a huge worm. The baby has quite the beak full but eventually managed to get it all down.
Egg number 2
was laid this chilly morning at around the same time as the first egg, which is normal for all eggs. I have added the Sparrow spooker yesterday when the wind died down for a bit, and Dr. Clara went into the box without hesitation. This was a relief because sometimes the birds can be a bit fussy about it. When you put one up, please watch for a bit to make sure they accept it (more info on Sparrow Spookers here: http://www.sialis.org/sparrowspooker.htm) . If they don’t, you can try to introduce it gradually, using less streamers for example. Dr. Clara will only start incubating once her clutch is complete. this ensures that all babies will hatch at around the same time, giving them all equal chances of survival.
I will continue to give updates on Dr. Clara and Mandrake’s progress. Going from previous years, I would think we might get a maximum of four eggs. It is always a bit less stressful if the first clutch is small because temperatures can still go very low.
And just like that,
nesting season has officially begun. Dr. Clara laid her first egg this morning. She will now lay one egg per day until her clutch is complete. Bluebirds raise several broods in a season, usually three in my yard. The clutch size can vary with fewer for the first and third and up to six in the second clutch. It is rainy and windy today, so the sparrow spooker will go up only tomorrow. Mine is homemade, two dowels on which I attach streamers made from a birthday balloon. They are supposed to keep House Sparrows at bay. HOSP cannot see well and get spooked by the shiny flappy things and stay away from the box. If you are interested in learning more about Bluebirds and other native cavity nesters, I highly recommend the page sialis.org.
Dr. Clara and Mandrake
are in the yard every day. He is sitting on the nestbox, defending it against anybody who comes near while she still tends to the nest. The nest looks basically done, so I am expecting her to start laying eggs any time now. I am glad she took her time but there can still be frost and snow.
The BB family of this year
has gotten their name too now. Meet Dr. Clara and Mandrake. At the moment, they are both frolicking around the nestbox, bringing stuff in (her) and taking things out (him). They do keep a steady eye on it and are ready to fiercely defend if another bird comes close. Here’s to a good nesting season!
I haven't been posting many photos recently,
but that is just because this is basically what the feeders look like right now most of the time. The Starlings and their babies have taken over a bit. These “takeovers” happen each season, and they will mellow at some point too. And no matter what one thinks of Starlings (Europe and the US perceive them a bit differently), the interactions between the youngsters and the parents are funny to watch. They do sound a bit like haunted witches, though.
