Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Feeding the Baby Bluebirds

Daddy Bluebird coming to the Mealworm Feeder --eating some himself,  and taking some to one of his Babies!
First of all,  WELCOME to any of my Photo Blog followers!  I decided to stop the Photo Blog for now and resume a Wednesday post on this  (my main) blog!   Hope you all enjoy it, and will sign up to follow me here.

I am so fortunate to have Eastern Bluebirds in my yard year-round.  Spring/Summer are my favorite times to watch them since they nest in our nestbox in the backyard ---and then begin bringing the little ones to the feeders after they have fledged.  Mom and Dad Bluebird usually raise  about 2-3 different 'families' per year,  with each group consisting of from 3 to 5 little ones..

The first group here this year started with FOUR eggs.  We are not sure that all 4 of the babies made it --but as of now,  we have seen 2 of them! Mom and Dad are EXCELLENT parents and once the little ones fledge,  the parents keep a close watch on them as they learn to live in this big-ole world!

About a month after they leave the nest,  Dad (who is the main feeder of the babies) starts bringing them to the bird feeders.  Mom is always nearby --and keeps a watch on all of her babies... They are SO much fun to watch.

Today,  I'll share a group of photos I took beginning on Sunday,  5/25/14.  Hope you enjoy seeing my photos...  Some of them are not the 'best' --because I was taking photos through screen doors and 'dirty' windows... ha.. BUT--you'll get the idea!!!!!  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.


See that mouth-full Daddy Blue is carrying????    That is for one of the hungry babies!!



At first,  the babies stopped on the TOP of the arbor (above the feeders)... Daddy would feed them up there (which made it harder for me to get pictures)...



I don't want to forget Mama Bluebird.  Even though she doesn't feed the babies,  she is always around watching and protecting them.



Here's another photo of Daddy with one of the babies on the TOP of the Arbor.  I love seeing those precious little speckled babies--even though they are about as big now as their parents... (The parents obviously feed them well!)



Daddy Blue and one of the babies were watching a Blue Jay who was trying to get his turn on the plate feeder!!!



I love this photo of one of the Baby Bluebirds... Precious,  don't you think?



OKAY!!!!  One of the little ones finally got brave enough to fly down to the plate feeder.  (He still counts on Daddy to feed him though --and doesn't quite know how to do it himself yet.)



Daddy Blue was trying to teach the little one to eat from the feeder.



Again,  they are 'looking' at that Blue Jay  (who desperately wants one of those peanuts on the plate feeder)



Look at the BIG mouth --begging for food....  AND--as you can tell from the mealworms in Daddy's mouth,  that baby is going to get fed.... Adorable,  aren't they?
This is my favorite photo from this set...  I love watching the babies beg for food... AND--you should hear them crying...  They make the cutest little sounds one can imagine!!!!   Wish you all were here to see this...

UPDATE:  Didn't mean to confuse anyone --but some thought I was suspending THIS blog too.. I am not and will continue to post on Monday/Wed./Fridays.

Okay----that's about it from Betsy's Bird Kitchen today!!!!!  Have a fantastic Wednesday.

Hugs,