Three, Maybe Four

We have a wonderful abundance of Eastern Bluebirds here this season, and many of them are raising their third brood! It’s possible that some are actually working on brood #4!

Unless one of the birds has a unique characteristic (like Keller’s blind eye), I can’t tell where a pair goes after using one of the houses. It seems to me that some couples use the same box not long after fledging their previous chicks, while others move onto a different house. Sometimes, House Wrens (or less so Tree Swallows) move into a recently used Bluebird box and then the Bluebirds will have to move elsewhere. For their size, the House Wrens seem to be incredibly determined to assume ownership of a box if that’s their choice.

Here are some images of the Bluebird couples that are currently tending to eggs or chicks. A few of these pairs recently fledged their broods, as well.

“The Penthouse”

I created this box last winter and Robert helped erect it in early March, so it would be ready for the 2023 Season. It’s made of larger diameter PVC and is deeper than is typically described as optimal for Eastern Bluebirds. It’s also mounted 15 feet above the ground, which is also stretching the limit typically described for Bluebirds. That’s because I didn’t design it for Bluebirds! I was hoping to entice a pair of Great Crested Flycatcher to use it, as I had seen them for two years in a row in that area, and in the Oak tree where we installed it. But, before the flycatchers even arrived for the season, a pair of Bluebirds moved in, fledged their first brood, then repeated their success and fledged their second brood. The first image is the first use; the female taking nesting material into the box in early June. The remaining photos were taken mid July.

Box “I”

Sometimes I get lucky and catch the day (or two or three) when a pair of birds is just in the stages of checking out a new birdhouse. It’s a very important decision. If they make a bad choice, they could expend more energy than one might consider possible for such a little animal and still end up with nothing for their effort. For that reason, I often watch a couple perform what I call practice runs. What will it be like to fly in from the Wast, even if there’s an unexpected easterly wind? How far is the nearest perch where the male can hang out during the many days when his mate is stuck inside incubating – when he may need to chase off a competitor or predator? They do a lot of vocalizations during this time, and I wonder if they are verifying that they can hear each other in the environment they are considering.

I took these photos of a pair checking out Box I, but they never moved in. I don’t know where they may have found a better option. Perhaps, they are the couple in photos I post further down this page.

Box “W”

Full transparency: I don’t dedicate as much time filming some of the bird houses as others. This is because, due to my schedule I almost always go out-and-about in late afternoon. Boxes that face East as subjected to a serious back-lighting issue versus my amateur status as a hobby photographer. I will sit patiently and observe the birds that use these houses, but I take very few images because, well, I know they will not be very good quality photos. But, I usually snap one or two pictures just so that I have a record of the goings-on with the couples that choose these boxes.

Box “W” is one such box. It’s on the north property line in the center of Jaye’s pasture and in previous years the box in that location was labeled Box “13.” Why do I remember this? Because it was a very unlucky box. The first birds that used that box “location” a couple years ago were Bluebirds. I was so excited to be present to film the first day they began feeding their newly hatched chicks. When their chicks were just a day one, the Pair was ousted by a House Wren and their chicks tossed to the ground. The House Wrens then started their own nest.

While the House Wrens were feeding their chicks, a storm blew the door off their wooden box and the nest was either pulled out by predators or blown out by the wind. Last year (still in that location – still the wooden box but with an upgraded latch), a predator (assuming raccoon), ripped the door right off the hinge, even though the upgraded latch held! Tree Swallows lost their nest. That was our first predator issue and since then we now install predator guard baffles.

This year, we put up one of our prototype FarmGoneWild PVC boxes in the same location after having removed the wooden box the previous year. This year a Bluebird pair moved in and fledged their chicks successfully. That was very early in the season. Tree swallows moved in after the BBs were gone. The Tree Swallows were incubating eggs when a House Wren “seemingly” took over the box. That was my perception since I saw the Wren atop the box, and then I saw the characteristic heavy twigs sticking out of the hole a few days later. A week later I spotted Bluebirds on and around the box! Each time I checked, the Bluebirds seemed to be in possession of the box. Eventually I watched and filmed Bluebirds feeding their chicks. I’m pretty sure I created a blog post of those birds feeding their chicks. This next photo was taken around 10 days after the first brood fledged, and I checked to see five eggs in the nest.

Box “C”

This birdhouse is a new FarmGoneWild model, which we created after offering the prototype PVC boxes last year. This particular box is hand-painted with wild flowers, which is one of the three exteriors we offer at our Etsy shop.

Box “J”

This pair is one that used the same box for back-to-back broods. I like the first image because of the grasshopper’s shadow.

Box “Z”

We put up Box Z this Spring. There was a long gap between bird houses in this area. I’m glad we put it up, and also that we added a perching post about 8 feet from the box, since it’s a long way to any other place to settle.

Box “5” and Box “6”

A while back I posted some images of “Keller” and her mate rearing their chicks from Box 5, which is located in our front yard. ROCKSTAR Not too long ago, I saw a pair on the box, again. However, upon a more patient observation, I realized that they were using Box 5 as a perch, and were feeding chicks in Box 6, a wooden box that is about 50 feet away. Box 6 is almost always occupied by House Wrens, since it’s so close to a large stand of mature tree. In fact, a House Wren pair used box 6 early this year. This is not “Keller”, as this female appears to have two normal eyes.

Box “Y”

This is a new FarmGoneWild box that hadn’t been used yet, this season. I figured that House Wren might take it over due to how close it sits to some mature woods. But, each time I’ve checked, it was empty. I caught this female Eastern Bluebird atop the box with a possible meal for chicks in her beak. But, she flew off and didn’t return, and I didn’t want to open the box and interrupt new parents, if that’s the case. That was just about 5 days ago and I have not been out since then due to the outrageous heatwave we are experiencing. Update pending.

Box “G”

I captured these two Bluebirds in and around Box G the last day I went out before the heat spell. Monday it’s supposed to drop down to the mid 80’s and I’m looking forward to checking in on them. Last year a Tree Swallow pair used this box for back-to-back broods. It’s not far from the pond, which is a favorite spot for the swallows.

Box “A”

This is another new FarmGoneWild model that we put up early this year. It had sat dormant until about two weeks ago when I peeked inside (after seeing a Bluebird sitting on top of the box), and captured this lovely image!

Box “2”

No image, yet, but I’m keeping a very watchful eye on this box as it sits in the yard just outside my office. I’m looking at it right now! A Bluebird pair has been very busy and I’m thinking there will be eggs inside if I check. I’ve just been avoiding the sweltering heat. More on this development soon!

Whew! That’s a lot of Bluebird info!

If you are interested in our FarmGoneWild custom bird house, please visit our shop at Etsy:

www.farmgonewild.etsy.com