In and Out

Tags

carolina chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, house wren, photography, postaday

Both Bluebird parents have been very active bringing food to the young ones. Just this morning, the mother flew to the nest hole with a dark orange caterpillar.

Female Bluebird delivering food to the young chicks inside birdhouse.

As soon as that was done, she flew out with a fecal sac from one of the baby Bluebirds.

Female Bluebird carrying out fecal sac to dump it far away from the nest.

The male Bluebird came next with a bright green caterpillar.

Male Bluebird with green caterpillar.

Then the female followed that with another caterpillar.

Female Bluebird with more food.

And she again had to carry out another fecal sac.

Female Bluebird with another fecal sac.

In front of our house we have another birdhouse which was taken over by a breeding pair of Carolina Chickadees.  A few days ago, the parent Chickadees were very active bringing food to the young ones and performing fecal sac duties.

Carolina Chickadee before flying toward nest.

Carolina Chickadee removing fecal sac from nest.

One day I saw a House Wren inspecting the nest.

House Wren inspecting Carolina Chickadee nest.

House Wren inspecting Carolina Chickadee nest.

House Wren are known to take over other birds’ nests, but in this case nothing happened and I think the young birds were able to fledge successfully. There is no activity at the nest today, but I will keep watching from time to time.

Bluebird Landing

Tags

Eastern Bluebird, photography, posyaday

A male Bluebird was landing at the birdhouse while the female was checking out their nest inside, before going in to resume incubating. This was the first time I have successfully captured a Bluebird landing.

Male Bluebird landing.

Cold Day

Tags

american robin, carolina chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, goldfinch, jane magnolia, Judy Zug Magnolia, Northen Cardinal, photography, postaday, red-tailed hawk

The weatherman says it has never been this cold on this day in our town. This morning the temperature is at 31°F or -0.5°C. With a strong breeze, it feels like 24 °F or -4.4°C. I will have to go out to the garden and see whether the tomato plants grown from seeds and put into the ground last week survived.

Three years ago I planted a yellow magnolia tree named Judy Zuk Magnolia, in honor of a former President of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It grew one flower the first year, none the second year, and this year it is displaying a dozen of bright yellow flowers mixed with small streaks of orange-red. Here are some shots of the flowers which are bigger than those of the Butterfly Magnolia from last month.

Judy Zuk Magnolia.

Judy Zuk Magnolia.

Here’s another kind of Magnolia that is blooming late in the season. In fact, it keeps blooming during a good part of the summer when all other magnolias have come and gone.

Jane Magnolia.

I’ll finish this post with photos of our backyard birds who have been quite busy during this spring mating season.

Goldfinch ruffled by wind.

Carolina Chickadee.

Male Northern Cardinal hiding in Jane Magnolia tree.

American Robin.

Eastern Bluebirds couple taking a break from incubation chores.

Female Eastern Bluebird getting ready to go back inside birdhouse.

Then someone who thinks it is a bird.

Squirrel eating up high on an oak tree.

Finally, a shot of a Red-tailed Hawk at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge on February 22, before the coronavirus lockdown.

Red-tailed Hawk.

Bluebirds Feeding II

Tags

Eastern Bluebird, photography, postaday

The male Bluebird came back to the birdhouse where his mate was incubating in the nest they had built. He was carrying a worm.

Male Bluebird with food.

He poked his head inside the entrance to offer the worm to her. She must have declined because his head came out and he proceeded to eat the worm himself.

Male Bluebird eating worm.

He hung on, considering his next move.

Male Bluebird considering what to do next.

Then he flew away to a nearby tree, stopped for a few seconds to look at the birdhouse before flying away in search of more food for her.

Male Bluebird perched on tree branch.