Bluebird Babies

I've enjoyed watching these precious Bluebird parents caring for their young the past couple weeks. They are back and forth countless times to and from the nest box all day long, every day. Both parents equally share the responsibility of bringing food to their nestlings and carrying away their waste. Bluebirds are among the first songbirds to produce offspring in early spring. I've noticed that Chickadees and Titmice also nest early in spring.

The nestlings will probably fledge within a couple more days. They're getting pretty cramped inside the nest box and I often see them crawling atop each other and trying to get a peek outside. They're so stinking cute!

This is pretty gross but it's all a part of the ways of nature- when the baby bird has to poop, it will turn its back to the parent and discharge a poop sac. The poop is contained within a white sac which helps to keep the nest clean and provides an easy way for the parent to carry waste away from the nest. This behavior, in turn, helps prevent the attraction of insects like ants and flies around the nest. It is nature's way of housecleaning. 

More about them later.

Wren Couple Returns

I had the pleasure of watching a pair of Carolina Wrens prepare their nest in one of the birdhouses yesterday. They raised a brood in the same birdhouse about this time last year. There's a brand new birdhouse in our back yard but they chose the old one. I call it a bird "townhouse", and they chose the most dilapidated house. I figure maybe it's because the cracks on the side allow for more ventilation. I don't know. We are all creatures of habit, aren't we? I watched them for about an hour or so, flying back and forth, gathering sticks and leaves to cushion and protect their forthcoming eggs. They worked as a team. Sometimes Dad wren would take a break and perch on top during which time he'd sing. It's incredible to hear such a loud song coming from this tiny bird.

The last photo is NOT a Carolina Wren.  It's a Chipping Sparrow that decided to check out the activity going on at the bird townhouse.  He didn't seem all that impressed so he didn't hang around for long.  

Hope Springs Forth

I'm feeling extra grateful for spring this year. The arrival of spring has given me hope and purpose. My mind has been focused on bird watching and back yard landscaping. Flower gardens are getting a makeover and new landscaping projects have begun. Migrating birds are passing through and resident birds are preparing their nests for offspring. There's been so much activity going on in my back yard and I'm enjoying it.

A pair of Carolina Wrens have claimed one of the bird houses in our back yard.  Each morning the male perches on the back deck railing and sings his little heart out.  He packs a powerful voice to be such a small squirt.  The past couple of days I've noticed the parents have been bringing insects to the nest and removing fecal sacs from it.  That lets me know there are nestlings in the bird house.  Hopefully I'll soon see little wren heads poking out of the hole.  

Carolina wrens have begun building nests in these bird houses each spring but have never completed the nests until this year.  I hope the young ones survive and fledge soon.  It will be exciting to watch!

Great Crested Flycatchers

I watched a pair of Great Crested Flycatchers gather nesting materials and place them into one of the wooden houses in my back yard.  Actually, the female gathered the materials while her mate watched over her.  When she was in the bird house, he stood guard on top, making frequent high-pitched warning calls to ward off others in the area.  He was very attentive to her, following her every move.

Love is certainly in the air.  I'm looking forward to watching them with their offspring.

Linked with Stewart for Wild Bird Wednesday-

thanks for visiting!

Nesting Great Egrets at Avery Island

On March 20th, my husband and I visited Jungle Gardens, located at Avery Island in Louisiana. Jungle Gardens is a self-driving tour which winds through 4 miles of beautiful gardens filled with live oaks, spanish moss, azaleas, tropical plants and much more, including some wildlife. Located within Jungle Gardens is "Bird City", a rookery which attracts thousands of nesting birds every spring.  A variety of egrets and herons nest here and raise their young.  

On the day we visited, we saw only the great egrets- hundreds of them.  It was mid-day and the sunlight was extremely bright which made it somewhat challenging to photograph them.  I went through my images and saved a few descent ones...

A great photo library of Bird City and Jungle Gardens is posted online here.  Some of their photos are amazing!  

Thank you for visiting.  Have a great Wednesday and a wonderful upcoming weekend!

Linked with Stewart for Wild Bird Wednesday

Spring, Splendid Spring

 The signs of Spring are everywhere around me...

The hostas planted last year are appearing

and the lilies have multiplied.

This is the very first bloom of the season.

A few thistles have shown up in the back yard,

along with a variety of wildflowers.

Pine cones are developing and new growth has appeared on the shrubs.

Frogs have come out of their winter hibernation

and birds are gathering nesting materials.

I'm thankful for the season and the new life it brings, 

and I'm enjoying the longer days.

"When the world is filled with sunlight, brighter and longer, 

when the song of Mother Nature becomes stronger and stranger,

Spring has begun".  ~ Camille Gotera