Over the 4th of July weekend while visiting my daughter and her husband, I was able to watch a pair of bluebirds feeding their young in a bluebird house in their backyard. The babies were just about to fledge, so we spent alot of time at the kitchen window watching the activity as the parents fattened their young in preparation for their first "flight" out into the world beyond the birdhouse.
One afternoon as we watched the birdhouse, one of the young began to poke it's head out the opening further and further, until eventually he/she had it's little feet out over the edge of the hole. We think it was about to fledge, but one of the adults flew back and appeared to push it back inside. Up in the sky above we saw a hawk soaring around, so no doubt the parents were protecting the babies by preventing them from fledging until the hawk was gone.
The adults took time out of their busy schedule feeding the young to have a nice refreshing bath from time to time!
Unfortunately, later that evening we went out to dinner, and came back to find that the babies had fledged. I was so hoping to watch the event and maybe get some photos of their first flight, but it was not to be. Hopefully you have enjoyed seeing the photos I did take leading up to the big event!
P.S. My daughter cleaned out the birdhouse the day after the babies fledged, and the following day another bluebird pair came along and starting building their nest! This will be the third round of nesting this summer in their bluebird house! I've only had one round in my birdhouse this year, whereas, last year I had two. So I'm still hopeful we might get a second one yet!
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Comments: 44
neat pictures thanks for sharing
What a wonderful series of photos & cool that you have another family in there already!
What great pictures !
They're so beautiful. Great shots!
Pretty birds!
I did enjoy this, and loved hearing how the parent pushed the fledgling back into the nest because of the hawk. Animals are just amazing to me.
You bet they are amazing, Tanya!
Lovely essay, Sue. I can't get over how clear and colorful the shots are.
That was interesting about the parents pushing the baby back in. Good Luck - maybe you will still get a pair.
Thanks, Rose! Have my fingers crossed! :-)
Great photos and essay. Too bad you missed it.
Yes, it was, Marianne! But I have witnessed them fledge from my own bluebird house, but didn't have my camera with me then.
Wonderful photos! Sorry you missed all the action, I would have been disappointed myself having never even seen a baby blue bird.
Thanks so much, Kat! The bluebirds are so pretty.
Very pretty I enjoyed looking at these pictures
Nice series of pictures. Thanks for posting, Sue.
Sue, a great photo essay ! Some great captures of these beauties !
How wonderful. I loved the pictures, they are wonderful.
OK. A winter project for me: build some bluejay houses!
Make that a "bluebird" house, JOHN! Don't think the blue jay could fit thru the opening! LOL
I must have been half asleep. I can't believe that's what I keyboarded in!
LOL... it happens to the best of us, JOHN!!
Thanks, EVERYONE, for all your nice comments!
A wonderful job of capturing this, thanks.
I appreciate your comment, CL R!
Wonderful photos, that second one is priceless. Now you have another family starting out, how wonderful.
Thanks so much for sharing with my group.
Thanks and you are welcome, Nana!
Absolutely wonderful photos Sue! How nice another family is moving in..it will give you another chance to catch the next set of liitle ones leaving the nest :)
Thanks so much, Jennifer! Unfortunately this bluebird house is at my daughter's, so I won't be able to see this next brood of babies, but I'm still hopeful I'll have a pair nest in my bluebird house again this summer!
What is the trick with that? I put up a bird house on the porch of my cat house and I have not seen one bird around that house.
Cat house... what's that, Connie???!!!
Ooh, how wonderful! A shame you missed the fledging, but at least you got to see so much of them before it! Great photos.
Thanks for stopping by to view my bluebird photo essay, Tory!
Awesome! I've seen the sparrows at my feeders feeding their young. I should put up a few birdhouses, maybe I'll get lucky, but my cats may get lucky too.....
Oh I hate that you missed it but maybe you can be there for the next one!
Wow! What an experience. They say it is hard to catch them actually fledging. I saw it but wasn't able to capture it, it happened to quickly. The second batch of eggs I have are now about 11 days old, so should be new babies any day now! Don't you just love these gorgeous blue wonders? :)
What a super cool experience, I had no idea until you clued me in that birds will nest more then once. And how cool is that.,...a new pair has already moved in!
Excellent photos and story...thanks for sharing and bringing a huge smile to my lips
Oh, that was neat!
Yes, I did enjoy your photos. They are always wonderful!
I have a box up here in the village, but so far, only House Sparrows have tried to use it.