Juvenile bluebirds, male bluebird and a second nest.

[Leigh Ayers]

Since I have been out of work I have had lots of time to watch and learn from my resident bluebirds. My bluebird parents had a first nest starting with five eggs. I did not get to see them fledge, but only saw four fledgelings around, now they are down to two that regularly come to eat meal worms. These two juveniles are now helping mom feed the nestlings from the second nest. The male that comes around doesn't seem to be the male from the first nest or the past two years. The reason I say this is because this male is very cautious and will not come to the meal worms. The male from previous years and the first nest of this year would fly right in without hesitation. Also the "juvenile male bluebird" of this years first nest fights with this new male. I am pretty sure this juvenile that fights with the other male IS a male because he is much bluer that its sibling and its mother even though he hasn't moulted yet. I have read about juveniles from previous nests helping feed current nestlings, but this is the first year I have actually witnessed this.

I am still working on getting my business www.carolinabirdscapes.com off of the ground. I am going to every seminar and workshop that I can to better my knowledge of native plants and hummingbirds. I have installed one birdscape and have two more on the books for this week. The first birdscape had bluebirds building a nest within 2 days. My brother found an unfinished bluebird house at his work. He finished it and installed it and had bluebirds building a nest withing 4 hours!