A Blustery Day in the Neighborhood - Jan. 31, 2021

 The Weatherman Said "5 to 8 inches"

Fortunately, we were able to go to church on Youtube.

This Covid pandemic has enabled us to do some things

from home that we could never do before!

The next order of business was clearing the driveway.

                     The birds have been anxiously coming to the feeders.

In fact, I fed them again at lunch time.

Here is just a few of the ones I saw today.

Spring Fever

This year it seemed like we had

a taste of Spring in February.

Ever since it seems like it

can't decide whether it wants to be

chilly or rain.

 

 

The Bluebirds have been here for awhile.

They haven't made their nests,

as far as I know,

in either of our boxes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have noticed at the feeder,

while the female comes, she eats, but

the male seems to be taking worms with him.

 

 

That could mean

he has a family to feed.

 

A Red-breasted Nuthatch

was at the feeder a day ago.

The last time I saw one of them

was in 2007 in the Fall of the year.

Maybe just migrating through.

 

This bird is smaller than the

Nuthatch that we see all the time.

When I first noticed it,

it was frozen in place, like the picture below.

There apparently was a Hawk nearby.

The little Nuthatch and a small Downy Woodpecker,

who were both at the feeder at the time,

 did not move for about five minutes.

 

 

There was also another

Downy Woodpecker that stopped by,

who looked a little out of the ordinary.

 

She was sporting a pretty, fluffy hairstyle.

Maybe she just took a bath.

Pretty Girl!

 

 

 

 



Blue Birds

A year ago, for the first time

we had Bluebirds make a nest in our nesting box.

Our excitement, however,

turned to disappointment

when raccoons raided their nest,

not once, but twice.

I thought they probably would never return.

 

This Spring we decided to put up a new nesting box;

one that would not be so easy for the raccoons to raid.

But, before we got it up, believe it or not,

the Bluebirds returned and started building in the old box.

 

 

 

For a couple of weeks, they were busy building

their new nest and totally ignored the new box.

Then one morning I saw them checking it out.

I thought, boy, that's interesting.

When I looked out our front door, I knew why.

The raccoons had once again torn apart

all their hard work.

 

 

There was a lot of activity by the new box,

and I am happy to say they relocated.

 

 

 

 

There is not as much flying around right now,

so maybe that means the mama

has laid her eggs and is waiting for them to hatch.

 

 

At least we hope so!



Some Sad News

It was a happy sight, just a few days ago

when I saw that both parents

were taking food to the nest.

I was amazed how quickly they came back

with their beaks filled with some

"tasty" critter.

HOWEVER,

when I looked out my front door

towards their nest one morning,

I could tell something was not right.

The door to their house was hanging down

and all we could find was the

empty nest on the ground

a few feet away.

I am so disappointed.

We need to find a better way to locate

our Bluebird box.

I had a really nice one a few years ago

put on top of a pole

and those "nest raiders"

took the whole birdhouse with them

when they left.

I must say, though, I feel very blessed

to have been able to watch the

Bluebirds for as long as I did.

They definitely "brightened" my days.



Lunch Time

After seeing a Bluebird

fly in the nest a few times

as we drove out of our driveway,

I decided to stand like a statue

and see if I could get a closer picture.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, he saw me.

 

 

He continued to fly around,

but always came back with that

poor worm dangling from his mouth.

 

 

I think he was getting a little impatient,

 

but kept flying closer to the birdhouse.

 

Finally he flew down.

 

 

 

 

And lunch was served!

 

 

 



Getting Ready for Mother's Day

Over the last several years,

there have only been a couple of times

that I have seen Bluebirds in my yard.

 

 

The weekend before Easter,

I did see a couple of them hard at work

preparing a nest.

 



Getting those twigs to fit can be really frustrating!

Maybe going in backwards

will do the trick!

 

Much to my disappointment

after that Saturday I did not see them around.

 

But this last week,

this beautiful guy has been sitting

on a branch close to our feeders.

He always seems to sit on the same branch.

 



                          And the Good News is

"I have seen a bluebird go into the nest."

Maybe it will be a "Happy Mother's Day!"