We now have four baby bluebirds flitting from treetop to treetop as their busy parents move them around. I didn’t know until two weeks ago that the hen was even on the nest.
Last year, bluebirds were on their nest before the first of April. This year I saw the male going in and out of the box, but the female would show up only periodically. I wasn’t sure if she was ready to mate – possibly immature. Then, in mid-April, I’d see the lonely male go to the door of the house, peek in and fly away. I thought he had lost his partner. Finally, I saw a female going in and out and figured she was finally ready to lay eggs. But she had already laid them. I couldn’t see her on the nest because my new garden cage had blocked the view and she sat lower in the nest than the other hens. Last Saturday, Nancy said she saw lots of bird activity. Then I went out in the yard and saw four baby bluebirds sitting on to top of the cage as if to say, “Now what?”
The parents chirped and begged and cajoled, but the chicks stayed put. They didn’t have to fly out of their house, they just hopped out. After several hours, they finally flew up to a nearby limb. Hunger is a good motivator. I was not prepared for the bluebird hatch and ran out of my first batch of 3,000 mealworms. More will be delivered this week. In the meantime, I have kept a constant supply by hitting the local pet stores.
In my feedings, I can now get within about two feet of the male, but the hen is still a little gun shy. I believe if I tried, I could entice Mr. Blue to feed out of my hand. Having a personal relationship like this with a wild creature makes bird watching a most exciting and rewarding hobby.