Meet the Parents (Bluebird Parents, That Is)

The two bluebird parents have been busy every waking hour feeding their young…

The nestlings are now 16 days old. I have stopped monitoring the box to avoid frightening them into fledging before they are ready. But I was finally able to get some photos of the parents at work.

Male Bluebird

It takes just a few minutes of observation from a respectful distance on the garden bench to be rewarded by the sight of the bluebirds at work.

Often, they arrive from the hayfield in front of our house. They perch on the top of the house and observe the area before heading to a branch above the nest box.

Female bluebird entering the house with a bug

Before entering the next box, the birds perch on a branch above the box and monitor the area for threats. Once they are satisfied that it is safe to enter, they move in, quickly feed their young and exit to find more food for their small charges.

Female bluebird exiting the house–without the bug.

The birds only stay in the house for a matter of a few seconds before exiting.

The four nestlings in this box should be fledging in another two or three days. Wish me luck on getting photos of the new arrivals!