WOOLWINE HOUSE BLUEBIRD TRAIL » Bluebirding and Bluebirds

GENTLE REMOVAL OF AN UNHATCHED EGG.

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:27:32 +0000

I successfully removed (v e r y CAREFULLY, may I add!) one of the two unhatched eggs in week-old bludbird nestlings’ nest on April 3, 2012. I use a clean plastic spoon to do so. This photo represents size of egg to the spoon and my hand. Through the Virginia Bluebird Society (VBS) and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VA DGIF), I have my name on the Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit for VBS County Coordinators (Wildlife Salvage Permit) to collect eggs and nests for certain protected cavity-nesting birds for displays for educational purposes and presentations. Permits are required for all possession of migratory bird specimens. I can’t tell you enough how helpful this is during my talks about bluebirds to be able to display these. It is fascinating for people to see the eggs close up–their size and color and relation to the nest size. If you’d like to read more about removing unhatched eggs, may I suggest the Sialis site, an outstanding website loaded with helpful information about cavity-nesting birds (thank you, Bet!): http://www.sialis.org/eggsunhatched.htm

So delicate. There are various reasons why the eggs don't hatch. It is always best to leave the nest alone if you cannot remove unhatched eggs without disturbing the growing babies. Thanks to the Sialis site, I studied up before attempting this. I will use this egg for educational displays.

Here they are after I removed that egg. There is one more unhatched egg underneath these three. I'm not comfortable attempting to remove the non-visible unhatched egg. They are one week old--we have several days of colder, rainy weather going on; they are getting to an older age now that I might spook them; thus making it unsafe for the three. In other words, the risk is greater for these three at this point to try to remove the other unhatched egg than not removing it!

Filed under: Blogroll, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Personal, Photography, Random, Virginia Bluebirds

“THE EARLY BIRDS!” – FIRST BLUEBIRD CHICKS OF 2012 – 7 DAYS OLD

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:14:12 +0000

First egg was laid March 8. They hatched March 26th. Here they are — they are 7 days old today. Three of the five eggs hatched. We’ve had very windy days, and I’ve been waiting for calmer days to attempt to remove the unhatched eggs. Sometimes Mama Bluebird will try to remove them or bury them deeper in the nest. Since the eggs are still on top of the nest, it is better for the chicks to get the eggs out of there. Now that the chicks are older and not as fragile and have some soft feathers developing, tomorrow I will go back to the box and use a small plastic spoon to remove CAREFULLY (gently!) what unhatched eggs I can reach without disturbing the babies and creating nervousness with Ma and Pa Bluebird. I saw both of them in the trees above me today, so I know both parents are caring for these little guys. I have a Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries permit to salvage (collect) nests and eggs. I will use the unhatched eggs for educational displays.

Filed under: Birds, Blogroll, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Personal, Photography, Random, Virginia Bluebirds

MEALWORM FEEDERS ANY TIME OF YEAR.

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:18:50 +0000

I use three different mealworm feeders–not all at the same time and not at the same time of year–it will vary. The photo below is a metal “jailhouse” style feeder with a glass cup in the center. This is my favorite feeder because it keeps out larger birds that can dominate getting the goodies (jays, crows, etc.). It does take some training for the bluebirds to find this, but when live mealworms are in this cup and placed not far from their nestbox (not too close!), they usually find this because they perch in the pine trees above it. Carolina Wrens consistently feed out of this. My other feeders are an adjustable Droll Yankees domed feeder that I can move around on a shepherd’s hook, and the other is just an open glass cup on a stake. I like the domed feeder to train bluebirds to use it and then I can lower the dome to keep larger birds out later. It is also one I can put out in the open–rain will stay out and keep the mealworms dry. In the winter, sometimes I mix bluebird suet nuggets with soaked currants and freeze-dried mealworms to create a mixed “banquet”. Live mealworms work the best if you are willing to pay for them and keep them in your refrigerator (not as complicated or squeamish as some might think it is) or just learn to manage raising your own. That’s another topic another time. I have no interest in raising my own at this point. If you want to learn about growing your own mealworms, do check out the page on the Sialis site about doing so (Class 101–Raising Mealworms!):

http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm

My next goal is to set up my camera on my existing tripod (needs some repairs and I need a bigger one to support another heavier camera and lens) and take photos of birds taking some good food at this jailhouse feeder! I have already staked out where to do that so the birds can’t see me.

Bottom line, to keep bluebirds near you all year, do the following:

1. Plant NATIVE ornamental (not invasive species) berry-producing trees and shrubs so the bluebirds have winter food sources

2. Put out a nestbox or two and monitor them so the birds can successfully use them season after season

3. Display and maintain a clean bird bath (water source) year-round

4. Offer mealworms to entice them and keep them close (good for taking photos of the adults and fledglings which they feed for another month)

Additional important note about feeding mealworms: I am a firm believer in letting the birds do most of the work in finding food, particularly for the nesting babies. It is important that the growing nestlings get a VARIETY of food. We don’t want the bluebird parents to be spoiled by having mealworms offered 24/7. I look at mealworms as supplemental feeding. A few in the morning and a few in the evening is about right in my opinion. I whistle a tune when I fill up the cup. That trains them fast you’re bringing them some treats. I also enjoy watching the Chipping Sparrows hang loose on the outskirts of the feeder watching for any mealworms that drop on the ground!

Suggestion on this feeder: It is rather lightweight. If you put freeze-dried mealworms in this, take it down in high winds as all the dried mealworms will fly out. This feeder will rock back and forth in winds. You also have the option to pole-mount this feeder which keeps it more stable. Since I have other stake-type feeders, I keep this as a hanging feeder. I like to move it around from tree to tree using a very large decorative S-style hook designed for tree branches. These are easily found at garden centers and hardware stores. If a raccoon knocks this down, more than likely, it cannot drag it off due to the size. Also the metal top keeps the glass cup of food dry and is somewhat difficult for a raccoon to pry it open. I hear crows quite a bit coming and going by our house, so I know they can't get inside this.

Filed under: Birds, Blogroll, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Random, Virginia Bluebirds

DIFFERENT LOOKING BLUEBIRD EGG CLUTCHES – MARCH 2012

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:28:41 +0000

It’s fun to see how the egg clutches look on my nestbox visits. Also, I watch to see how the female turns the eggs with her feet and how they change configuration for even incubation during those 14 days or so. Some eggs have white marks in them; others with spots of dried blood. When the eggs pass through the female’s oviduct, that’s when they are colored blue on the outer eggshell, through the pigmentation cells she has to allow this. Occasionally, white eggs will be laid in bluebird clutches. This means the pigmentation gene is missing during the egg-laying process. Here are some recent photos I’ve taken within the past two weeks of the clutches I’ve seen this year. You’ll see one photo (bottom right) required a mirror so I could see the set of eggs. This can be challenging to do it quickly and get the picture before the adults get too nervous that I’m at their nest. I try to make my nest visits as fast as possible and still get some good details! This nest was built quite high and she placed more grasses inside the pine needle nest. This is one of the reasons I enjoy other species using the boxes, not just bluebirds. It’s really entertaining, as well as educational, to see how the species differ in their nesting habits. I will be seeing the Carolina Chickadee and I’m hoping to see some Tree Swallows on my trail this year. They are marvelous birds. I wish I could spy on many different species nesting. The live cams on eagles, red-tailed hawks, and others are fascinating. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has several cams going presently. The hummingbird live cams are truly my favorite of all.

Filed under: Birds, Blogroll, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Random, Virginia Bluebirds

HERE THEY COME! FIRST HATCHING 2012 on the WHBBT.

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:20:16 +0000

Photos below represents the first clutch–first egg laid March 8-EARLY LAYING–possibly first egg and first hatching for all of Virgina reported in to the Virginia Bluebird Society on monitored nestboxes during 2012; and also the hatching photo–hatched, Monday, March 26. The photos are true color (no flash). I do not use flash photography after the chicks are 6-7 days old. They open their eyes in full on the 8th day–I would not want someone photographing me closeup in my nest when my eyes just opened!

Hope you’re having an exciting spring so far — enjoy the photos!

If you can take photos of eggs and nesting material in bright light and not use flash, you can get true colors on the eggs! Sure looks like an Easter basket to me! I visit my boxes twice a week. Mother Bluebird turns the eggs with her feet, so each time I visit, the eggs are situated inside the nest differently each time I look at the nest. If eggs are missing, it's time to troubleshoot what happened.

Here they come! 3 out of 5 eggs hatched so far. Hatching date is March 26, 2012 in Patrick County, Virginia.

Filed under: Birds, Blogroll, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Random, Virginia Bluebirds

SPRING 2012: TYPICAL NESTBOX SETUP and SUPPLIES FOR MY BLUEBIRD TRAIL.

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:19:05 +0000

I’m in the process of completing twenty more nestbox setups just like this. Ten have been completed so far–ten more coming for this season. Three I have sold back to a local monitor with all costs for the complete nestbox setups given to an excellent local charity to help our less fortunate who live in our county. One has been installed just last week at a private residence along my trail–monies to the same charity. Woo-hoo!

This is what is in the setup:

Side-swing-down door on this observation nestbox for easy monitoring using the Virginia Bluebird Society nestbox plan made from western red cedar. This wood will weather year after year beautifully. No painting needed!
One-inch metal galvanized conduit (you can also just call it hollow metal pole) cut to 7.5 feet, 6-inch wide x 24-inch long galvanized “stovepipe” round duct with duct cap ground predator guard (to deter snakes, raccoons, mice, opossums, squirrels, feral and roaming housecats and more) designed to W-O-B-B-L-E while hanging on the conduit below the box. A wobbling stovepipe is harder to get by.
Vinyl-coated hardware cloth entry-hole predator guard (highly effective to protect nestlings and eggs!)
All hardware to install all of the above.
My own small black lightweight canvas “tack” supply bag I use on the trail with essential tools I need beyond my car and at each nestbox visit, which I do about twice a week.
Post driver to pound the conduit about 1.5 feet into the ground so that the top of the nextbox roof is at about 5.5 feet. (By the way, the one-inch conduit is about the right sturdiness to secure this nestbox, particularly if one of our local black bears bumps into one!)

Now that I look at it, it doesn’t look like too much at all. Also included in this picture is what to use if one chooses to spray paint the galvanized conduit and stovepipe a color conducive to disappear into nature (I suggest a dark brown). You will see white vinegar, a spray bottle for the vinegar, an old pillow case, and a good quality dark brown oil-based spray paint. What is not in the picture is a large twist tie or string to secure the pillow case over the nestbox during the spray painting. Pick a nice day to do this. Make sure NO BIRDS are nesting in a box! Put an old pillow case over the nestbox and tie the bottom. This keeps the nestbox separate from the vinegar spray and painting. (DO NOT spray the nestbox with any paint inside or out. If you use a good wood that weathers well, you need not paint the box.) First, spray the galvanized pole and stovepipe and cap with the vinegar and let thoroughly dry. Then (important) check for any winds! If you have some, you best wait on the painting. If after “pickling” the galvanized metal with the vinegar and you have determined it is dry, you can then spray paint the rest. I recommend the brand Rustoleum UltraCover 2x Matte color (only one application needed) in color Expresso. Make sure the paint is dried completely and then remove the pillow case. By pickling the galvanized metal first, the oil-based spary paint won’t peel off. By the way, do not spray paint anything if birds are using the boxes! That’s a good warning to share with you. If they are using the box, don’t do it–just wait until later in the year after the nesting season is over, such as in September. I have to be honest with you….I think the pickling and spray painting of the stovepipes are not necessary; but if you prefer it, this is how to do it. Most of mine are kept as they came from the store, including the price stickers. The priority here is to keep that stovepipe as smooth as possible. I have found greasing them won’t be necessary is MOST circumstances. If you want to purchase pre-painted stovepipe round duct, some retail outlets will sell them in black. They are a bit more expensive, however. Also, DO NOT spray paint the hardware cloth entry-hole guards.

Installation How To: Having 2 people helps! One person holding the conduit straight (use a level if you have one), use a post driver to pound the 7.5 length conduit into the ground (search for sturdy, flat ground with not too much rocks). Next, insert carriage bolt into pre-drilled hole where the ground stovepipe guard will hang. Add the two nuts and tighten with a hand-wrench. Install ground stovepipe with duct cap screwed on both sides to round duct onto the conduit so it will hang and wobble on the carriage bolt. Next, take a ready-to-install nestbox with a drilled hole in the back and open the side door. Add another carriage or machine bolt with a half-inch size washer and insert that through the pre-dilled hole on the inside and backside of the box. Then insert the box with bolt through pre-drilled hole in the conduit and add nut on other side of conduit and tighten well. At bottom of box for added support to conduit, add U-clamp over the conduit and use electric drill to install two wood screws (about 1.5″ size) through the U-clamp on each side and into box. Be sure those screws are not too long or they’ll stick through the nestbox on the inside (dangerous to birds). You should not see any screws points inside the box. The hardward cloth entry hole guard can be made and installed on box prior to setup installation. Through another follow-up post forthcoming, I will detail more tips on the installation method. Where to find these plans? Of course, you can find them on the Virginia Bluebird Society’s website: http://www.virginiabluebirds.org/nestboxguards.html You can find all kinds of helpful information there, free of charge! Do visit if you haven’t been there yet. Happy Bluebirding. Comments and questions encouraged! Leave them here!

Left to Right: Nestbox, stovepipe ground guard, conduit, tack bag, pillow case, hardware, post driver, white vinegar and a spray bottle.

I love this nestbox plan! Easy opening with the door swinging down so you can see top to bottom, oversized slanted and kerfed roof to shed rain, completely vented above entry hole width of box, and triangular vents on both sides at top and in backside.

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Random, Virginia Bluebirds

WOW! EARLY BLUEBIRD EGG on MARCH 8, 2012!

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 16:40:52 +0000

How do I say with jubilation: WELCOME BACK, SPRING? How about a very early egg laid by a bluebird?

What a way to start the season for the WHBBT! The nestbox that had the earliest laid egg last year on my own bluebird trail has again been the first nestbox for this nesting season–EARLY EGG LAID–On March 8, 2012, I found my first laid bluebird egg! THIS IS VERY EARLY, even for Southwest Virginia and North Carolina. Could this be the earliest in the state since VBS has kept records? We are presently finding out. The Virginia Bluebird Society is canvassing the County Coordinators for ALL cavity-nesting species earliest egg laid for this year. T he warmer weather tells the birds to get movin’ and groovin’, and this couple sure did. I expect hatching on or around March 26th. My first bluebird egg laid last year was March 27th. What a difference. Are we on a global warming trend, or is it the same couple just likes to get a jump start on claiming this box at this particular location? This is all part of why we keep records. More to come soon on those findings! So, with Spring now here (officially it’s March 21st), we can welcome everyone back to this site for updates. I have some changes to make on my nestboxes section—a couple of moves and additions. More boxes have been built in the local workshop (many thanks, Carl)—the complete nestbox setups include the boxes, the hardware, the conduit, and two predator guards. I have a new program on all this–all funds and costs for these goes back to the needy in our community. More to come on what that program is about. Also, many thanks to Wills Ridge Supply, Inc., in Floyd, VA, for helping me with the wood and supplies for the Woolwine House Bluebird Trail! The staff there is fantastic! It makes shopping for everything I need pleasant!

I am still hoping to get some nesting Tree Swallows. If so, it will be the first on the WHBBT. The Tree Swallow is a lovely native cavity-nesting bird. Did you know they catch all their insects ON THE FLY (in the air)? Bluebirds will perch and watch for ground insects most of the time, and then forage to the ground for them, which is why they are part of the THRUSH family of birds. More interesting information on Tree Swallows here: http://www.treeswallowprojects.com/basics.html

I should mention I have two new photos of the first clutch 2012 nesting season. See them below–I took one with flash and one without flash. Note the differences in egg colors. The photo with flash makes the eggs have more of a turquoise color. The photo without flash makes the eggs look bluer. You’ll also notice a difference in the grass color. The photo without the flash has the proper color of the grasses, dried ones, picked up by the female during the nest building.

Thanks for visiting again. I’m still in disbelief this passion for bluebirding (for me) started March 2006. Here I am still loving it–even more than ever! All the best to you this year — happy nestbox monitoring and happy bluebirding! Feel free to share your nestbox stories with me. Just write to me here on this blog and request to have your story posted here. I’m happy to share it.

Stay tuned for more updates and stories along the trail. See you soon!

Christine

Here is the picture of the nest–first clutch for 2012–WITHOUT FLASH:

Same clutch of eggs. Note the bluer color in the eggs and less tan in the grass color. This is the true color of nest and eggs to the naked eye.

Here is the picture of the same nest–same first clutch for 2012– WITH FLASH:

Look how the flash in the camera makes these eggs look lighter in a turquoise-type color and the grasses tannish-brown.

Filed under: Birds, Blogroll, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds

END OF THE YEAR 2011

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:01:27 +0000

Depending on your location, bluebirds are flying in mixed flocks and roosting together in existing nestboxes or natural cavities to stay warm. In Virginia, bluebirds stay as residents. The last of our dogwood berries were blown off the tips of the branches about a week ago. This is the time to start making suet in your own kitchen just for bluebirds; it’s good to put out dried and live mealworms, too. Here is a good recipe for bluebird suet, which I extracted from the Virginia Bluebird Society’s website. Also check out recipes at the following page: http://www.sialis.org/suet.htm

Suet For Bluebirds – 1 cup crunchy peanut butter, 1 cup lard, 2 cups quick oats, 2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, berries like currants optional. Mix dry ingredients. Melt peanut butter & lard together and mix with dry ingredients. Press into pan, cool, cut into squares and freeze until needed.

My notes: I think adding soaked currants or cut up soaked raisins or other dried cut up fruit is helpful. I prefer to crumble up the suet and put it out for the bluebirds and other birds, too, along with live and dried mealworms in an open platform-type feeder or jailhouse mealworm feeder. A crumbly mixture is easier for the bluebirds to eat.

If you can, keep water available using a birdbath or large dish with a deicing device to keep the water from freezing. Birds need water year round!

Photo is by Dave Kinneer — used with permission. Thanks, Dave!

Christine

Snowcap Landing!

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Virginia Bluebirds

ON THE WHBBT TRAIL! RECENT HATCHLINGS – PHOTOS TAKEN AUGUST 8, 2011

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:02:14 +0000

I am pleased to be able to take some decent photos of recent hatchlings as of my trail check on Monday, August 8, 2011….two photos below represent the clutch of unusual white eggs–those babies are 4 days old. The other photo below those is of 2-day old babies. It never ceases to be a joyful experience to monitor nestboxes and find new life. The anticipation of the eggs to finding a hatching has taken place is the best feeling! Enjoy!

The trail is winding down for the season. I don’t expect any more nestings to take place. Soon the fun really begins–collecting and analyzing my trail notes for the nesting season, summarizing them and writing notes of those summary findings, and then submitting those summary notes to the Virginia Bluebird Society. Those state records will go to the North American Bluebird Society, along with the rest of the state records around the country from the other bluebird societies. This includes the records of other species of birds occupying the nestboxes. This is how we know how the birds are doing, year after year. If House Sparrows tried to nest in these boxes, the records of the nest attempts and evictions of that non-native bird is included in those notes. Any predation, unhatched eggs, number of eggs, problems during the nestings and how treated, and the number of successful fledged birds is included. Some trails have more than one style of bluebird boxes–those notes are also sent to VBS.

I just recently read an article on the Texas Bluebird Society’s website that Audubon’s unpublished data showed a decrease of 19% of Eastern Bluebirds in Texas during the period between 1966 and 2005. Read on here: http://www2.texasbluebirdsociety.org/

If you are enjoying this site, and you haven’t already, you may want to support your local bluebird society of your own state or the North American Bluebird Society. Your support is always needed. Here is the NABS site: http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/

These guys are growing! One thing I look for at this stage, as a monitor, are any welts on their tender skins for any blowfly larvae which latch onto baby birds at night. Since I treat ALL my nests for blowfly infestation (I have this problem in every box and in every nest!), I can see how the treatment (very carefully administered!) is working to help these little guys grow naturally, safely, and survive to fledging day. These little ones look great! I am very pleased! This is my first ever WHITE eggs and hatching from white eggs that I have experienced since bluebirding started for me Spring 2006.

Fa-La-La-Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! These-4-day olds are ready for WHOLE grasshoppers now!

"Hi, there. Now that you've seen us, can you please leave now so Mama and Papa can bring us some yummy food?" Look closely....you'll count 4!

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds

CLUTCH OF 3 WHITE EGGS HATCHED AUGUST 4, 2011 – 5 DAYS LATER THAN EXPECTED.

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:20:17 +0000

Here are two pictures of the two hatchlings on August 4, 2011–the DAY of hatching. These were due to hatch on July 31st. Perhaps the female delayed incubation a few days during our high heat here. Who wants to sit on eggs in a hot nestbox? It may have taken longer and she indubated in early mornings and cooler evenings and stayed off the eggs during the afternoons. Theory on my part. I will be getting some styrofoam for next year to put on roofs of nestboxes in direct sun during our high-heat periods to help the birds stay cooler–a quick fix many bluebirders do. I have to do some reasearch on how this is done. I will be back on my trail in a day or two to check on these little tykes again. This is my first ever clutch of white eggs…an event that happens to about 4-5 percent of laying females. There is a pigment in the oviduct of the females that colors the eggs blue as they pass through. Perhaps this pigment is missing in this female. The eggs are just as fertile. That means the bluebirds that did a brood in this box prior to this one was a DIFFERENT female, as her eggs were blue. All birds in the thrush family generally lay blue eggs. A photo of the eggs are further down this website. Just cursor down to find it. Info on white eggs are on the Sialis site in an easy-to-read pop-out: http://www.sialis.org/whiteeggs.htm

"Hey, bro, while we wait for our other sibling to get outta this shell, let's do the Wiggle-Wiggle dance!"

I quickly took these pictures and left them alone. I know the female was close by watching. Already these guys, fresh out of their shells, weak....are HUNGRY. They started to gape while I was there. I am hoping egg #3 hatched OK.

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds

CUTE PHOTOS OF A BLUEBIRD FAMILY EATING TOGETHER….SHARED BY A SUBSCRIBER.

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:13:52 +0000

I send thanks to Mr. Briggs, who is a subscriber to this site, for sharing these two wonderful photos with me of a bluebird family at a feeding station containing mealworms and……..what looks like……..a special suet mix just for bluebirds. These are good closeups of the those adorable, spotted bluebird kids and their parents, named Baxter and Bella. Enjoy!

Good eats!

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography

BLUEBIRDS FLEDGED FROM TEST TWO-HOLE MANSION-JULY 2011!

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:03:44 +0000

My two-hole test box in House Sparrow territory in Woolwine has somewhat of a repeat performance from last year. House parrows had numerous attempts to build a nest and lay eggs–ALL NESTS AND EGGS REMOVED so they could not reproduce in this box! I keep the nests and eggs for educational purposes (displays). After the HOSPs gave up FINALLY (from February through June 2011), bluebirds moved in and were raised successfully. I found partial-HOSP nest materials on June 13. By June 27, bluebirds moved in and finished the nest with their own nesting materials and one egg was laid that morning, the 27th! On July 29th, all bluebirds were fledged. I took a photo of two of the three babies at the age between 13-15 days old–QUICK SNAP and count from 3 babies to 2 babies between July 18 and July 26th. I do NOT know if one died and the parent removed the body (which I doubt because the baby would have been too large by then) or that one baby fledged prematurely. That does not seem
far-fetched considering the number of bird species wanting to use that box and perhaps causing some stress on the parents and the bluebird youngsters in the nestbox…..THEORY on my part as this box is not easy for me to watch on a daily basis. On July 26, here were the babies (photo below). When I returned to the box on July 29, the other two had fledged. HOWEVER, interestingly enough, the female was swooping and “clicking” at me, even when the nest was empty. I saw a couple of sticks on top of the nest, which tells me House Wrens are entering the box. Perhaps this female wants another brood here and she’s fighting for the box
back, including from me. Wow! Here are the babies on July 26th, 2011. This photo has also been added to my gray tabbed page titled “2-Hole Test Mansion Results” page. Yay for the blues! They are doing all they can to keep territorial rights on this box! This is Year 2 of the test. 1 more year to go and I believe this box will either be sent elsewhere in the U.S. to be tested somewhere else……..OR…….I may continue the test or move it elsewhere in my locale for more testing. Please see the website link of the creator’s page of this test box for more info on this test below:

http://home.earthlink.net/~lviolett/testwoolwine.html

About 13-15 Days Old....Almost ready to fledge! Photo taken July 26, 2011. CAREFUL and fast photography at this age is a must so as not to spook these little guys!

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds

WHITE BLUEBIRD EGGS!

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:18:54 +0000

I presently have an incubating female on a clutch of 3 white eggs. 4-5% of bluebirds will lay white eggs–generally just as fertile and healthy as blue eggs. See the Sialis.org site here for more information on why a bluebird will lay white eggs: http://www.sialis.org/whiteeggs.htm

First white eggs I've seen since I started bluebirding in 2006. Do check out the explanation why this happens on the Sialis.org website (thanks, Bet!)

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Nature, Virginia Bluebirds

AUDUBON WATCH LIST: BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:59:06 +0000

In late March of this year, 2011, I was in south-central NC visiting my parents. A neighbor of theirs has a Homes for Bluebirds (made in Bailey, NC, started by the famous bluebirder, the late Jack Finch) box in their back yard and has had wonderful success with bluebirds using the box with careful monitoring and photographing the bluebirds using it year after year. I asked if they wanted me to stop by and take a look at the box. It was discovered an unusual bird not seen before had been making visits to the nestbox in competition with bluebirds in nest building, dropping their pieces of pine bark and other items over the bluebird’s pine needles. While we were standing next to this box, this bird showed up as if we were not even there. At the time, I had not been able to ID this bird and I needed to find out! It turned out to be the Brown-head Nuthatch. This cavity-nesting species is presently on the Audubon Watch List. This bird nests in the pine forests of the Southeastern states, particularly pines of the
loblolly, shortleaf, and longleaf varieties of pines. Continued destruction of these pine forests is taking habitat away from this cavity-nester; therefore, their numbers are declining.

Text below per Audubon Source Online: http://audubon2.org/watchlist/viewSpecies.jsp?id=41

“The bird requires snags (standing dead trees) for nesting and roosting; but forages on live pines. It is more abundant in older pine stands compared with younger stands as well as burned stands. Nesting includes excavating cavities in trees, most commonly between February and April. Incubation lasts two weeks. Young fledge 18 to 19 days. The bird subsists on bark-dwelling cockroaches, beetles, and spiders in the warmer
months and various arthropods and pine seeds when it’s colder. This non-migratory species generally does not
disperse far from its breeding range; although widespread decline in pine seed crops one season may force birds to extend their range. One of few species of passerines known to use tools; the nuthatch finds loose bark flakes to pry attached flakes where insects are hiding. The biggest problem this pine-forest specialist encounters today is the destruction of southeastern pine forests. Commercial logging as well as private and public land management practices has reduced its breeding and foraging habitat. After clear-cutting, a forest needs at least 12 to 25 years of regeneration before it can become suitable for Brown-headed Nuthatches to nest. Clear-cutting as well as fire suppression reduces the number of snags available as nesting sites. Since this bird makes limited movements away from its breeding grounds, forest fragmentation is also harmful. Birds aren’t re-colonizing where suitable habitat has once again become available.”

As a bluebirder monitor and manager of my own trail as well as a mentor to others in monitoring nestboxes and having a love for all our native birds, I find it appropriate to welcome and allow this wonderful little bird to have its one brood in our bluebirds’ boxes and let the bluebirds move in, too, to raise families, as I’ve seen on my own trail with the Carolina Chickadee (CACH). It is illegal to evict native birds from our nestboxes, per federal law (Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918). We can try to deter other birds to use our boxes other than our beloved Eastern Bluebird, but why?   Though we help the bluebirds find a place to nest and raise a family, the bluebird numbers have increased in the past decade, thanks to us for installing nestboxes and monitoring them for best success. However, it is prudent as a birder to help other native birds raise families, as well, particularly those
species also losing habitat.   The recent Summer 2011 issue of the Virginia Bluebird Society’s newsletter, The Bird Box, has an article written by one of our County Coordinators about how she helped the Brown-headed Nuthatch (BHNU) raise her one brood in her backyard box and watched their 7 babies fledge, and then bluebirds moved in after.   It’s very interesting her efforts to help
both species succeed. One has to admit it’s fascinating to see different native birds use our boxes!   I know I enjoy other species using my boxes on my own trail. It adds to the learning experience about all of our nesting species, many raised so close to home where we live.

The following series of photos below are by Bill Matthews taken at his backyard Homes for Bluebirds nestbox of both the bluebird couple and the female nuthatch during the competition to use the box. I think you’ll really enjoy these outstanding photos! Many thanks to Bill for sharing these with me. After some back and forth of both species attempting to nest in this box for first brood, the bluebirds won over the nestbox. It is assumed this nuthatch couple moved elsewhere. I can only hope this female found another suitable place to nest—perhaps another nestbox in the neighborhood or in an old woodpecker hole in the pine woods nearby the property. As we continue to prosper, if that’s the right word, and create new homes for ourselves, the human, our
beautiful pine forests in the Southeastern United States are being destroyed.

In addition, I would like to share the following links in an easy pop-out for interesting reading online about this nuthatch and also about the late Jack Finch (1917-2006), who designed the Homes for Bluebirds in North Carolina.

Homes for Bluebirds: http://www.danfinch.com/birds.htm

Tribute to Jack Finch, Homes
for Bluebirds, on Sialis.org (A MUST READ!): http://www.sialis.org/jack_finch.htm

Virginia Bluebird Society
Summer 2011 Issue, See Page 4:
This is the story of how one of the VBS’ County
Coordinators assisted the Brown-headed Nuthatch (BHNU) raise her one brood in
her own backyard nestbox by creating a temporary “retrofit” to the box so that
the nuthatch could nest first and then changed it for the bluebirds for their
broods after the nuthatch fledged babies (Adobe Acrobat Reader needed). You really should read the whole newsletter
and see what VBS is up to! http://www.virginiabluebirds.org/newsletters/birdboxsummer2011.pdf

Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds– Brown-headed Nuthatch: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Nuthatch/id

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds

INTERESTING NESTBOX: FIRST EVER WHITE BLUEBIRD EGG! “EXCITE FOR WHITE”

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:13:51 +0000

This box was moved to a new location on private property before the nesting season 2011. This is the box in a recent post below featuring the nesting material made of grasses left in the Noel hardware cloth entry-hole guard on this site.

FIRST BROOD FOR SEASON BY CACH: To summarize happenings at this box, the first brood using this box was the Carolina Chickadee (CACH). This chickadee female (at least I think it’s the same female) made two nest cups in the box and laid 2 eggs in each cup. There was ONE hatchling from the 4 eggs. On box checks the sole hatchling appeared to be struggling to survive. I wonder now were there two CACH females fighting to lay eggs in the box and one female was finally chased off by the other and she only incubated her own eggs? I followed the sole hatching grow but with very slow development. It appeared to me the one nestling fledged but all other eggs had disappeared. I cleaned out the box.

SECOND BROOD BY FIRST EABL COUPLE: Within two weeks, a new nest was completed by an EABL–this nest had been built out of grasses. 5 blue eggs were laid within one week after that. All nestlings did well and fledged. My observations of the parents were both were active in caring for their young and always present on my box checks. I cleaned out the box after those baby bluebirds fledged.

THIRD BROOD BY DIFFERENT EABL FEMALE: Within 5 days (!), another EABL female (yes, a different female) had built a pine needle nest and laid ONE WHITE egg so far on my box check. White eggs are rare but do happen. 4-5% of bluebirds will lay white eggs instead of blue ones. These eggs are generally as fertile as the blue eggs. This means it is a different female laying in this box. I am waiting for the completed clutch. Since I think yesterday was the first date of this one laid egg, I will return in 5 days to
see if a clutch of 5 eggs have been laid. If I see 4 eggs, I can assume “yesterday” was the last lay egg date to document in my trail notes.

The best part of monitoring nestboxes, in my opinion, is watching the variety of happenings with all of our native cavity-nesting birds that like to use man-made nestboxes. This is why I always carry two cameras with me on my regular trail checks. It truly is a learning experience. Additionally, this is why we monitors keep detailed trail notes (I think it’s rather fun, actually!)
and I write everything down, such as time of day I am at the box, if the box is in shade or sun, temperatures at box check, other environmental differences such as do I hear or see any of the bluebird parents and are they swooping at me or just watching me
from a distance, are the nestlings struggling and having labored breathing from the heat, does the base of the pole need to be trimmed of taller grasses or weeds, is the stovepipe baffle sturdy or in need of tightening or repair, is the nest material dry, are there any attempts of insects such as wasps, small spider web building, possible ant invasion, etc. I also see different nesting
materials on cavity-nesting species in competition and who wins over a box and how each species wither removes OR incorporate the other species’ nest materials into their own. I have learned the bluebird cannot remove House Wren sticks, so once a house wren wins over the box, a monitor can learn to establish if the sticks are for a real nest for egg laying or if it’s a dummy nest (which once determined, a monitor can remove the sticks). It is illegal to remove an active native bird’s nest, so this is a challenge to determine this. House Wrens are tricky. This bluebird laying the white eggs is indeed a different female. I wish I knew if it was the same male or not. Perhaps something happened to his original mate (killed?) or he decided to pick a new lady to raise another family. Since I’m not a licensed bird bender, I cannot know for sure. My experience and from discussions with other expert luebirders is the couple stay together for the nesting season, then split apart into the mixed flocks in autumn. There are occasions for one reason or another why he look for a new mate to raise a family. OR….perhaps the couple using the box before was finished breeding and a new couple needed a nest box to raise a family.

To learn more about why bluebirds sometimes will lay white eggs, see the Sialis.org website to read up on this interesting topic: http://www.sialis.org/whiteeggs.htm

It is always good to have a camera ready on box checks to document interesting happenings! 4-5% of bluebirds will lay white eggs instead of the normal blue ones. The thrush-family of birds generally lay blue eggs (i.e., Robin). It is documented in my notes this egg was laid on July 18, 2011. Third broods are starting for the bluebirds on my trail. I have another box starting a third brood. Last year, my last fledging date for bluebirds was August 27, 2010. Not all my boxes are getting third broods, but that can change as I will find out on my nest trail box checks.

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds

THE CAT/RACCOON GUARD: BLUEBIRDS LIKE THEM (AND USE THEM). RECOMMENDED BY THE VIRGINIA BLUEBIRD SOCIETY.

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:59:34 +0000

The newest design plan is on the VBS website. My next batch of guards when I expand my trail will be the recommended “coated” hardware cloth! Also, I’ve seen Tree Swallows use this with ease. Also House Wrens and the Carolina Chickadees don’t mind them I am discovering bluebirds like to leave some of their nesting materials, either soft dried grasses or pine needles, inside this entry-hole hardware cloth guard, also known as the Noel Guard (designed by Jim Noel) just underneath the entry hole. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think this is their way of telling other birds, “AHEM! OCCUPIED” ….. and just so you know, we have this box so you may stay away!” It’s fairly consistent with bluebirds on my own trail. They like the guard to sit on and watch over their nestbox! Here is a picture of one of the boxes along my trail. You can see some of their nest material dropped in it. When I’m checking my boxes for new nests being built, this is a sure sign something good is going on inside the box! Though some people think they are not attractive; however, for me, it’s more important to enjoy the beauty of a successful fledging of baby bluebirds than finding a tragedy instead.

Plan to build this: http://www.virginiabluebirds.org/forms/bb-guards_03-27-2011.pdf

Bluebirds like this guard. Most of the boxes on my trail show nesting materials laid on it under the entry hole. It looks like a sign to other bird species: OCCUPIED!

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Tree Swallows, Virginia Bluebirds

CAROLINA CHICKADEES ON THE BLUEBIRD TRAIL: “LATE BLOOMER” NESTLING

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:02:01 +0000

I wanted to share this neat picture I took on June 13, 2011 of these 5 baby chickadees that had a sibling that wasn’t developing as fast as the rest. Good news! They ALL (five of them) fledged between 3 PM Saturday and Noon on Sunday, June 19th. It looks like the late bloomer just needed more time to catch up growing. I never did find out the problem with this one baby. I did inspect the nest, which had pine needles on the bottom originally built by the bluebirds and the chickadee materials on top after they won the territorial battle over this nestbox. This is the box that bluebirds laid 3 eggs–then the eggs vanished! The chickadees won the battle over using this nestbox and built a “dummy” nest in the other box nearby. Could the chickadee parents have pierced the bluebird eggs so that they could have the nestbox? I’m thinking yes. I found no eggshells on the ground or in the used nest. What I did find was chickadee nesting material and their laid eggs! Perhaps the female chickadee either removed broken bluebird eggs or ate the eggshells for the calcium. I’m still investigating this one. Now that the box is cleaned out, I’m hoping the bluebirds will try again at this location. Usually the chickadees have one brood. The bluebirds two to three broods per season. Last year, I had three broods in my boxes for bluebirds–first time I saw three broods on my bluebird trail.

As you can see, one is not as developed as the others. He (or she) caught up later, though, and they all fledged. Maybe he wasn't getting enough to eat. Blowfly larvae was minimal in this nest. You can see the original white pine needles put there by bluebirds, and then the chickadee added in her own nesting materials.

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Virginia Bluebirds

PHOTOS OF AN INCUBATING FEMALE BLUEBIRD: DID SHE TRUST ME?

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:09:19 +0000

I am posting several photos taken on my trail check administered on Monday, June 13. On occasion, I’ll find a female bluebird not wanting to leave the nest. I always carefully open a box so as not to spook her. I talk or whistle my tunes as I approach a box to give her or her hatched young fair warning I am approaching. This is the box that recently had a carpenter bee. After I took care of the bee, she returned a few days later to finish nest building. Theory again on my part, but I’ve noticed with my monitoring schedule that the birds don’t seem to fear me looking in their nestboxes–never more than twice a week as that is over-managing the
birds. Unless I have a special problem to deal with, I might monitor more than twice a week. I really wanted to share these photos on my site because this female was particularly interested in me, showing her face and letting me see her and her eggs. She even let me watch her turn her eggs with her feet. Generally, I advise new monitors to be very quiet and quick and careful while opening a nestbox to check on the birds; however, in my case, I have learned how to take photos without spooking the birds–more
experienced monitors can do this–it seems the bluebirds in particular are very trusting of us. Other birds, such as the House Wren and the Black-capped or Carolina Chickadee (the species here in SW Virginia) is more stressed by our presence, so when monitoring boxes with them using a nestbox, we must be particularly diligent to respect their solitude to be sure they do not abandon their nests because they are frightened of us. I was able to successfully take some pictures of a Carolina Chickadee nest and young yesterday, as well; I’m glad I did, as I found one baby is not developing as well as the others. That will be another post soon. I may have to start a new tabbed page on other cavity nesting birds. What you see below is this female bluebird who is sitting on a clutch of 4 eggs. I’m so glad she is enjoying this box—the same box that I had to deter a carpenter bee from boring a hole. I hope you enjoy the pictures below. Photographing nesting birds can be tricky. Be sure you don’t spook them too much if you choose to do it. Never do this during the morning hours–the females lay eggs in the morning–she is laboring and breathing heavily as she lays one egg per day. She is at her most vulnerable at this time. I ALWAYS monitor my trail in the afternoons. I never monitor on very cold days or rainy days. I wait until it’s a good time that is safe for the birds first, and then what is convenient for me. (My next post…. in a few days…..will be about the beautiful cavity-nester, the Brown-headed Nuthatch!)

Mrs. Bluebird is watching me watching her!

Though she's on "high alert" here, she allowed me to peek on her eggs, as she stood in front of them. However, I DO NOT RECOMMEND new bluebirders keeping a box opened for a long period of time if the female won't leave the box for you to check on the eggs. You can try again another day. I was able to take these photos without the use of flash fairly quickly. When we spend extra time at a box, we risk spooking the female to possibly abandon her clutch. I don't make a regular practice of photographing an incubating female. This girl stayed true to her eggs. A House Sparrow attack on this female could have been deadly. More than likely she would die to protect her eggs. However, the bluebirds are very tolerant of us looking in on them.

I llike this picture--it really shows her tail markings well.

She let me watch while she did this. I snapped the picture and quietly and quickly closed the box and left her alone.

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds

THE CARPENTER BEE: “MY PROBLEM AND HOW I SOLVED IT.”

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:43:43 +0000

I just waved a Q-Tip saturated with insecticide around the female carpenter bee to deter her to continue drilling this hole underneath the box hole. After I knew she had left for good, I took the Q-Tip and just rubbed the inside of this partially drilled hole. She never returned. It's the female carpenter bee that drills the holes. Now I need to caulk and even out this this partially-drilled hole.

Every year on the trail, I find something new to deal with regarding “problems” — some problems are larger than others. In this case, I discovered my problem was actually easier to deal with than I had expected. I found a spinning carpenter bee boring a hole in one of my nestboxes! The bee was spinning her whole body around while drilling into the underside and outside of the nestbox’s floor. Thankfully, a partial bluebird nest was built–temporarily abandoned as my theory goes–possibly BECAUSE that bee was there. Bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds will abandon a nest location (whether it be natural or manmade) if pests such as bees and wasps attempt to occupy the cavity. I have detailed how I took care of the carpenter bee on the PROBLEMS tabbed page of this site, including two new photos. Be sure to check it out. This is not something I’ve seen before at my nestboxes, so hopefully it won’t be a recurring issue! GOOD NEWS: I have an active bluebird female incubating 4 eggs in that box today!

http://woolwinehousebluebirdtrail.com/problems/

This is why MONITORING is so helpful to our native birds using our nestboxes–my point is: why even bother taking the time and effort and expense of putting up nestboxes if the birds cannot use them? Keep an eye on your backyard nestbox or a trail of nestboxes. Be an attentive “landlord” and make sure the birds can really use them.

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Virginia Bluebirds

LOOK WHO MADE THE COVER OF THIS CATALOG FOR SUMMER 2011!

Woolwine House Bluebird Trail — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:11:39 +0000

My catalog came in the mail the other day. It was nice to see our bluebird on it. This is one of my favorite bird-supply companies. I have a metal mealworm "cage" hanging feeder from them that I use in the winter and early spring.

Filed under: Birds, Bluebird Trail, Bluebirding and Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Nature, Photography, Virginia Bluebirds