BLUEBIRD  FLEDGLINGS (2 weeks out)

Dad is still feeding dried mealworms to juveniles from the 1st brood at my house. 

 Looks like these "babies" will be capable of fending for themselves very soon!!!

Skink Pair

Couldn't resist posting this shot...

these two skinks just stayed there in the sun 

and let me photography them on Wednesday afternoon at the WBU store in Nashville.   

Bluebirds Fledge

The babies ALMOST fledged during the day on Wednesday...they kept coming up to the edge and then going back in.   Mom and Dad were very chattery nearby trying to coax them out, but they flew after we left the store - either Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.  

We cleaned out the box and, hopefully, they will start a new nest in a few days...stay tuned !!!




 

Bluebirds at the Nashville store should fledge in the next couple of days.   Mom and Dad very busy feeding and we've noticed Dad bringing a variety of goodies like yummy mayflies (at least that's what I call them) and even offering the babies some mulberries for dessert !!!  

BlueBird Babies Day 4

Day 4 - We can clearly see three babies...hopefully the fourth one is just hiding behind his "peeps". Mom and Dad are ever present feeding and keeping watch over the nest.

BlueBird Babies Day 2

The eggs hatched sometime between Saturday afternnon and Monday morning...a TRUE Easter miracle !!! Mom and Dad were very busy all day Monday feeding and defending the nest box.

We are extremely fortunate to have such aggressive bluebirds at the WBU store in Nashville... unfortunately, the nest in Franklin was not successful; house sparrows destroyed the eggs in the box over the weekend and are currently trying to nest there themselves.

They're BAAAAACK !!!!

Bluebirds are back at the WBU store in Nashville...they decided to evict a chickadee who had already claimed the box, but what-r-ya-gonna-do???? Even though we installed another box close by, they were determined to use the same dilapidated box that they used last year. Hopefully the chickadee family found another safe place to nest. :(

Anyway...this is the first of many photos of the bluebird nest...four eggs, so far...will check again today to see if there's another.

Resident Skink

WBU Nashville resident skink (one of several we've seen) sunning itself yesterday... AAAAWWW Spring !!!!

The Missing Deer Pics

REALLY! LOOK! Just outside the window - Lying down!

He just stayed right there. It was unbelievable.

So unbelievable, that I started to worry that he was injured.

So, eventually, I moved around enough to rouse him. I was so relieved that he had no obvious injuries. He proceeded to partake of our seeds that we put on the ground for the ground feeding birds before heading up into the woods for some wild forage.

You just Never Know! ;)

You Just Never Know!

Came out to the sunroom this morning, and found a first year buck lying right next to the feeders! He hung around for about an hour, then got up and partook of the feeding bounty, had a drink from the BirdSpa, and wandered away to forage in the wild! AWESOME.

Birds LOVE peanuts

HOW FUN IS THIS !!??

These shots were taken of the peanut feeder that hangs just outside

the back window at our Nashville store. The tufted titmice at the store

also frequent the feeder, but were camera shy this particular day

Waiting for Spring

I know we have not been very diligent about keeping this blog up to date... sometimes I actually believe that I have made a post, just to find out months later that I did not. I guess I formulate them, and even take the pictures, then do not follow though with the posting. Sigh....
This "Winter" has been a bit of a let down. No snow and very little cold weather to speak of. The birds, however, are taking full advantage of the warmer temps - as are the chipmunks - but I digress...

The activity around the feeders has been consistently pleasing for several months. A couple of days ago we counted 15 pair of Cardinals! Of course, this was right around 5pm; what we call "Cardinal Hour". They tend to come to the feeders early and late and not so much during the middle of the day - that is the time for the Goldfinch. Boy are we covered up with these guys - and they are already beginning their molt.

Another thing that we have noticed that seems to be early is the activities of the Carolina wrens. Already they are carrying materials into their favorite nest boxes (gourds at our house).

Ever so patiently we are awaiting the Barred Owls. The squirrels still have possession of the nest box, but it should be any day that these squatters are force-ably evicted.

Thanks for reading... we'll try to keep up a bit better. :)