First time in twenty years of nest box monitoring that I've found more than five eggs in a bluebird nest.
Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Six Egger Bluebird Nest
This is a special spring for my bluebird trail since it is, Lord willing, my last spring living in this house.
First time in twenty years of nest box monitoring that I've found more than five eggs in a bluebird nest.
First time in twenty years of nest box monitoring that I've found more than five eggs in a bluebird nest.
Friday, May 06, 2011
Nestbox Report
Two of my four nest boxes have been claimed.
I'm always pleased to see the Bluebirds sitting near a nestbox. This male was helping build a nice grass nest inside.
Wednesday there were three eggs. Yesterday four. Still four this morning, so I think they decided quadruplets was enough for the first nesting.
If all goes well, hatching will be May 19.
On the other side of the field, Tree Swallows have finished their nest and are aggressively guarding the box. No eggs yet but probably tomorrow.
I'm always pleased to see the Bluebirds sitting near a nestbox. This male was helping build a nice grass nest inside.
Wednesday there were three eggs. Yesterday four. Still four this morning, so I think they decided quadruplets was enough for the first nesting.
If all goes well, hatching will be May 19.
On the other side of the field, Tree Swallows have finished their nest and are aggressively guarding the box. No eggs yet but probably tomorrow.
Friday, October 01, 2010
October If, Young Phoebe, and Sedum
It's October 2. If I cheat a little and back date this post to October 1, I might be inspired to post every day in October. At least one picture.
No promise, no pressure. Only if it's a pleasure, and I'm thinking it might be.
The migrating birds have all abandoned SW Michigan for warmer climates now.
The young Phoebes were among the last to go. Until a few days ago they were still practicing their dart-out-and-catch-a-bug skills from the tops of the bluebird nest boxes.
Now the flying bugs can safely enjoy the time until the first hard frost, which could happen any time now.
With hosta eating deer overpopulating our property, I've been experimenting with various kinds of sedum to fill in a few of the garden gaps.
The deer don't touch them, they multiply rapidly, they don't require much care, and they don't seem to mind if they don't get much sun. I admire their spirit as they try for an autumn bloom while the falling leaves are attempting to bury them.
No promise, no pressure. Only if it's a pleasure, and I'm thinking it might be.
The migrating birds have all abandoned SW Michigan for warmer climates now.
The young Phoebes were among the last to go. Until a few days ago they were still practicing their dart-out-and-catch-a-bug skills from the tops of the bluebird nest boxes.
Now the flying bugs can safely enjoy the time until the first hard frost, which could happen any time now.
With hosta eating deer overpopulating our property, I've been experimenting with various kinds of sedum to fill in a few of the garden gaps.
The deer don't touch them, they multiply rapidly, they don't require much care, and they don't seem to mind if they don't get much sun. I admire their spirit as they try for an autumn bloom while the falling leaves are attempting to bury them.
Monday, September 27, 2010
New Balcony for the Birds
The balcony where I feed the birds off a large plank needed some paint. Maybe you noticed? Maybe you wondered, "Why doesn't that woman do something with that rusty railing?"
The balcony had numerous other problems - like a rotten floor and rotten support posts.
Last week we had the entire thing torn down and replaced.
The contractor who did it is also a bird lover. He had no problem with our request to make sure the phoebes could get in and out of their nesting spot under the floor and he topped the new railing with a seven inch wide shelf for feeding dozens of cardinals and other birds.
These two Goldfinches were the first to try out the new feeder after the sawing and pounding ended. The one on the left looks like a recent fledgling still developing his wings. The one on the right is molting into his olive winter coloring.
It's always fun to see the frumpy adolescent cardinals. This guy is too young to remember the old board. I've almost forgotten it as well.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Baby Bluebirds Day 12
They are old enough to act like wild birds now. They can't fly yet, but when faced with a human invader, they hurry to the corner of the nest box and try to hide.
When I worked a corporate bluebird trail, this is the age the Kalamazoo Nature Center would band the chicks.
The two survivors of the excessive heat and mosquitoes are both female. Read what you want to into that.
I wish these little ones a happy bluebird life with many bright sunny days of freedom outside the box.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Baby Bluebirds Days 6, 8, and 10
This has been a week of extreme heat and humidity. There's been occasional light rain which steams up off the ground to create more humidity while not lowering the temperature at all.
It's way too hot and not the right time of year for nesting bluebirds. But they did it anyway.
6 Days Old . . .
Three of the four chicks are still alive.
The chick with the open beak is not as developed as the other two. I'm guessing it's not going to be strong enough to make it through the heat. Maybe none of them are.
8 Days Old . . .
The hatchlings are old enough to be freaked out when a human opens their nest box.
Two are growing pin feathers and looking strong. The weak one (front right) is looking doubtful for survival.
A few days ago when I opened the box the adult male was on the nest with his wings spread over the chicks. To keep them cool? To keep the mosquitoes off? The mosquitoes are so thick this summer I can hardly stand to be outside and the naked little birds are an easy blood feast.
I always knock on the box before opening it to give the adults a chance to fly out if they’re inside. Dad bluebird wasn’t moving off that nest. I shut the box and left as quick as I could get the flap down.
10 Days Old . . .
And then there were two.
These two have been through the worse in weather and mosquitoes. Their feathers are quickly growing in and they will likely live to fledge.
Here's a close up of the emerging wing feathers.
In just three more days these little ones will have enough wing to practice being airborn by jumping up and down in the nest box. After day 12, I won't open the box again to keep them from jumping out prematurely. Their first flight into reality should only be initiated and monitored by their parents.
I'm guessing they'll be very happy to get out of that hot box.
It's way too hot and not the right time of year for nesting bluebirds. But they did it anyway.
6 Days Old . . .
Three of the four chicks are still alive.
The chick with the open beak is not as developed as the other two. I'm guessing it's not going to be strong enough to make it through the heat. Maybe none of them are.
8 Days Old . . .
The hatchlings are old enough to be freaked out when a human opens their nest box.
Two are growing pin feathers and looking strong. The weak one (front right) is looking doubtful for survival.
A few days ago when I opened the box the adult male was on the nest with his wings spread over the chicks. To keep them cool? To keep the mosquitoes off? The mosquitoes are so thick this summer I can hardly stand to be outside and the naked little birds are an easy blood feast.
I always knock on the box before opening it to give the adults a chance to fly out if they’re inside. Dad bluebird wasn’t moving off that nest. I shut the box and left as quick as I could get the flap down.
10 Days Old . . .
And then there were two.
These two have been through the worse in weather and mosquitoes. Their feathers are quickly growing in and they will likely live to fledge.
Here's a close up of the emerging wing feathers.
In just three more days these little ones will have enough wing to practice being airborn by jumping up and down in the nest box. After day 12, I won't open the box again to keep them from jumping out prematurely. Their first flight into reality should only be initiated and monitored by their parents.
I'm guessing they'll be very happy to get out of that hot box.
Friday, August 06, 2010
Late Summer Bluebird Hatch
I was doubtful these eggs would survive sitting in a nestbox in the sun with most days hitting ninety degrees or more. But they did. Wednesday evening the chicks were rolling out of the eggs.
The first one out, on the left, is looking for his/her first meal.
The second one out, in the back, is uncurling.
The third one out, on the right, is still folded in the shape of his/her egg.
And there's one more blue egg to hatch.
By late Thursday morning, all four chicks are out and being fed. Mom Bluebird doesn't need to worry they're going to get chilled.
That's a third little beak behind the two obvious beaks. The fourth is face down on the right.
The first few days of post egg life, the hatchlings will open their beaks when I open the box. They know someone is there and they hope it's with food.
Hard to believe in less than three weeks they'll have feathers and leave the nest. I never tire of the miracle.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Summertime Blues
I keep looking for reader comments and haven't been getting any. Is that because I haven't posted in eight days?
It's the middle of an exceptionally hot summer here in SW Michigan. Day after day of temps in the 90s with high humidity, occasionally just enough rain to make steam, and a bumper crop of mosquitoes.
I haven't been knitting. The dogs and I take short walks without the camera. They're sweat and swat walks.
The hostas are chewed. These former beauties are/were three feet from the house.
The deer know they can outrun anything that lives here, so they're not shy about walking up to the porch for the good stuff.
On a happier blue note, a bluebird couple decided it's not too hot for some bluebird love.
They needed a nest in a hurry so they built a dainty grass bluebird nest over the top of a partial wren stick nest.
The second half of July is extremely late in the summer for a bluebird nesting. I'm hoping the eggs don't cook before they hatch.
I walked out without the dogs this morning so I could sweat and swat and snap a picture.
Daddy bluebird obliged by posing on nearby mullein while mom bluebird lay the second egg.
It's the middle of an exceptionally hot summer here in SW Michigan. Day after day of temps in the 90s with high humidity, occasionally just enough rain to make steam, and a bumper crop of mosquitoes.
I haven't been knitting. The dogs and I take short walks without the camera. They're sweat and swat walks.
The hostas are chewed. These former beauties are/were three feet from the house.
The deer know they can outrun anything that lives here, so they're not shy about walking up to the porch for the good stuff.
On a happier blue note, a bluebird couple decided it's not too hot for some bluebird love.
They needed a nest in a hurry so they built a dainty grass bluebird nest over the top of a partial wren stick nest.
The second half of July is extremely late in the summer for a bluebird nesting. I'm hoping the eggs don't cook before they hatch.
I walked out without the dogs this morning so I could sweat and swat and snap a picture.
Daddy bluebird obliged by posing on nearby mullein while mom bluebird lay the second egg.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Celebrating Spring
We're all loving spring so much I was even happy to have to mow the lawn yesterday.
I've been knitting in the evenings. There isn't enough progress on anything to bother with a knitting picture, so here are some apple blossoms instead.
Mom Bluebird has four eggs and has begun her two week stint of nest sitting.
I took this with the zoom lens so she wouldn't feel the need to leave the nest box.
She peeks out and watches us during dog walks, but she sits tight and we don't go too close. It's a little chilly yet and I want those eggs to stay warm.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Blue Balls
The Featherweight Sweater is frogged and I've started a loosely knit pullover with the yarn. It looks a bit lumpy since the yarn has kinks from its previous life as a cardigan. A good wash and blocking will take care of that.
Two of the four skeins of Cote d'Azur Hedonist yarn are lighter than the skein I'm knitting now, so something needs to be done design wise to make it look like it's planned for the sweater to have two different colors of yarn.
I'm thinking of knitting the border pattern I was using for Featherweight as a lighter color yoke. Most of the sleeves will need to be light as well. I have many ideas on how to make that look intentional, but don't need to decide on one until I get to the arm split.
Meanwhile I'll soothe my nerves each evening by knitting an inch or so of soft, gentle, very blue, very pretty yarn.
Pattern: A pullover mystery sweater. I don't even know what it's going to be.
Yarn: Hedonist Sock from Slackford Studio, 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon, 4 Ply Fingering Weight
Color: Cote d'Azur
Needles: US #4, 3.5mm
Gauge: 6 stitches/inch, 9 rows/inch in stockinette.
More Blue Balls
A Bluebird egg a day for the last three mornings.
Mom Bluebird won't start sitting on them until she's done laying. We've been having frosts at night so I hope they're not freezing.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Panda Soy Socks Finished
This is a yarn experiment pair of socks I knit for sister Carrie's birthday.
She is also getting a nice pair of socks in a Panda Cotton, a yarn she likes, detailed here.
Carrie: We want to know how socks in this yarn wash and wear, even if the news is bad and you never wear or wash them more than once.
Happy Birthday Little Sister!!
Pattern: Basic cuff down sock pattern on 56 stitches. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and instep. I tried several simple stitch patterns, but the yarn is too nubby to show good stitch definition.
Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Soy, 49% bamboo, 33% Cotton, 18% elastic nylon.
Color: Hazelnuts.
Needles: Options #1, 2.5mm
The phoebes are back.
This picture was taken several weeks ago when the first males arrived.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Featherweight Fiasco
The border looks great down the front sides. That's where my happiness ends.
The border is four inches wide and comes up way to high on the back of my neck. In general, I don't like the way it hangs on me and the fit is not coordinating with my body build.
I've tried Featherweight on several times today, each time thinking maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought it was last time I tried it on. I also tried convincing myself a little blocking could make everything better.
I'm over it. There is a 95% probability it's going to be frogged before the weekend is over. Maybe before the evening is over.
If I pretend all is well and finish this sweater it will hang around unloved and unworn for years. The yarn is too soft and pretty to waste in a drawer. In fact, I'm looking forward to knitting it again and making something useful I will wear often.
No sympathy required. These things happen.
Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Yarn: Hedonist Sock from Slackford Studio, 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon, 4 Ply Fingering Weight
Color: Cote d'Azur
Needles: US #4, 3.5mm
Gauge: 6 stitches/inch, 9 rows/inch in stockinette.
There was a little snow on the roof his morning, but there's a new, snugly nest inside the box.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Wednesday Wings - Brown-headed Cowbird
The Brown-headed Cowbirds are obnoxious in so many ways. They're strongly built, aggressive, and dominate all the smaller, gentler songbirds.
They don't bother to build a nest. Instead, they lay their eggs in the nest of any bird they can dominate. The host bird unknowing hatches the Cowbird egg(s) and raises the Cowbird chick(s).
The hatchling Cowbirds are large, demanding, and rude. They take over the nest getting most of the food. The unwitting host's hatchlings go hungry, sometimes to the point of death.
Even at the feeding board, this Cardinal knows it wants nothing to do with this horrid female Cowbird.
Yesterday there were three female Cowbirds at the feeder. Each one has two to three dozen eggs a summer to deposit in an unsuspecting nice bird's nest.
This picture was taken at the end of nesting season last summer.
The young Cowbird is still harassing its adoptive parents, a male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. It wants to be fed. NOW!!!! And again and again.
Mr. and Mrs. Rosy are trying hard to make the demanding Cowbird happy, but it's impossible.
This picture was also taken at the end of nesting season last summer.
A worn out female Towhee feeding her Cowbird parasite.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday Wings - Mallard Ducks
Mallards - the most common duck in America and the most common duck in our yard.
Every year we have Mallards checking out the creek and pond banks for a good nesting site. Most years they decide there are too many dogs and nest at the neighbors.
They do like to visit and swim around in the pond, though.
It's a good place to stop by for dinner.
Monday, March 29, 2010
A Few Monday Thoughts
I'm still searching for the perfect front band for my Featherweight Cardigan.
This picture shows the difference between a pretty little stitch pattern knit on size 1, 2.5mm needles for a sock and the same pattern swatched on the size 4 needles, 3.5mm, that I'm using for the sweater.
It's finally sinking into my thick skull that the fabric is going to be loose and patterns I love at the "proper" fingering yarn gauge are
After hours of stockinette fun, I'm almost ready to knit the bottom ribbing. I need to select a border stitch pattern soon.
Many fat robins hopping around the neighborhood now.
This fence is all that keeps the neighbor's horses in their yard. It always amazes me that an intelligent animal like a horse stays home with such a poor excuse for a fence, but in the almost 20 years we've lived here they've never come over to visit.
Mrs. Bluebird eyeing a nest box and debating the benefits of the box over an old woodpecker cavity.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wednesday Wings - Possible Bluebird Tenant
Mr. Bluebird was hanging around one of the nest boxes Monday. He had Mrs. Bluebird nearby, but I didn't spot her until she flew away.
They're checking out the real estate, but they're not ready to start nest building yet.
Now that we're all used to daytime temps in the 50s with an occasional 60, cold weather is going to return tomorrow. Thursday night the low is supposed to be in the teens. That should give some of the early emerging plants a taste of reality.
March is typically the battle of the seasons. Winter doesn't want to go quietly away without the last word, usually involving snow on the daffodils in April. We still have a full two months in SW Michigan before it's safe to plant annuals.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Wednesday Wings - Great Blue Heron
We're getting a beautiful taste of spring this week with sunshine and daytime highs in the low 60s.
The frogs are coming out of hibernation, and this young Heron has been coming to the pond to feast on them for several days now.
The huge birds stand patiently still in the water until an unsuspecting snack passes by. Then they grab it with their powerful beak and swallow it down their long neck.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Wednesday Wings - Cardinals Claiming Their Bushes
Instead of hanging around the feeder, the Cardinals have scattered to claim and guard the bushes they want for their nests.
As a reward for making it through the winter weather, they get first pick before the migrates arrive.
Mrs. Cardinal thinks this is a good location.
Spotted Mrs. Bluebird up on the power line looking over her nesting options - four bluebird nest boxes and numerous old woodpecker cavities.
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