First Bluebirds of the Year

[H20fwler]

Walking around the pond this morning I spotted a pair of bluebirds apartment shopping.

I’ve got a dozen boxes out and I cleaned them out good in January, two need repairs. I guess I will have to get on that this afternoon. First I’ve ever noticed them in February, they are usually mid March.

 

[Rubee]

I've had bluebirds at my place all winter.

 

[Bill]

I saw a pair about 2 weeks ago checking out one of our bird houses. Personally I hope they move one. They chased off the hummingbirds last spring..

 

[makinprairie]

Walking around the pond this morning I spotted a pair of bluebirds apartment shopping.

I’ve got a dozen boxes out and I cleaned them out good in January, two need repairs. I guess I will have to get on that this afternoon. First I’ve ever noticed them in February, they are usually mid March.

Interesting! Here in central Wi I like to have my blue bird boxes cleaned and ready to go by no later than the end of the first week in March. With the warm temps this winter so far I have had mine ready a week ago , glad I did after seeing your post.

 

[rocksnstumps]

As many have noted an unprecedented year for how early stuff is happening. Here in NE WI had sandhill cranes and blackbirds Feb 20th. Beating out previous earliest of Mar 3rd set last year when comparing to last 10-15 yrs.

Back when I was a kid in the 1970s and had to walk uphill thru the snow both ways to school was even much later!

 

[BuckSutherland]

Walking around the pond this morning I spotted a pair of bluebirds apartment shopping.

I’ve got a dozen boxes out and I cleaned them out good in January, two need repairs. I guess I will have to get on that this afternoon. First I’ve ever noticed them in February, they are usually mid March.

View attachment 62743

View attachment 62744

Look at those beautiful chem trails from the big gubermint weather machine....

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Saw our first bluebirds about 2 weeks ago here in SE Pa. They hit our feeders and suet cakes. Grackles are back too - when they show up, we know spring is very close. Big flocks of Canadians flying north the last 2 days.

 

[Teeder]

We've had bluebirds all winter, which isn't unusual. Redwing blackbirds were here this past Saturday which is about a week earlier than usual.

 

[fishin coyote]

I have the dozen or so boxes here at the house cleaned out and ready to go. We've had a couple of males singing for the last week. Typically we don’t have a singers around here until the 2/3 week of March.
This weekend I plan on running my road line which has another 2 dozen boxes for clean out and repair. There’s a couple that need new doors and 1 roof repair.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Enjoying this thread

cleaned out my 7 boxes couple of weeks ago

anxious to back to my place and check for visitors

bill

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I have the dozen or so boxes here at the house cleaned out and ready to go. We've had a couple of males singing for the last week. Typically we don’t have a singers around here until the 2/3 week of March.
This weekend I plan on running my road line which has another 2 dozen boxes for clean out and repair. There’s a couple that need new doors and 1 roof repair.

Do you have a number of bluebird nest boxes scattered around your area - just to provide nesting sites for them? If so - great job!!! They eat a lot of insects ........ good to have them around, beside their looks and songs.

 

[Buckly]

I have blue birds every year. State bird you know. Lol. I’ve never put up feeders or boxes but, they do like to hang out in apple trees around the yard. Last year I was also inundated with Cardinals. 20 at one time once, all in the trees and on the deck.

 

[KY wild]

Few years ago I would have tree swallows follow me around while clipping clover eating the insects I kicked up. So I did some research and built some boxes for the tree swallows and now I enjoy them as much as the blue birds.

 

[makinprairie]

Few years ago I would have tree swallows follow me around while clipping clover eating the insects I kicked up. So I did some research and built some boxes for the tree swallows and now I enjoy them as much as the blue birds.

Great point! Blue birds seem to get all the attention and I love them also but tree swallows are native species and should be given the chance to share the habitat along with blue birds.

Lots of folks get upset if tree swallows move into the blue bird houses.

I did a bit of research and decided to try this method. Put two boxes on the same pole. A nesting blue bird pair would not tolerate another nesting pair of blue birds that close in proximity and vice versus, but they will tolerate a different species. Over all I have had good results with this method as illustrated in this photo from my land. Both species were successful in raising fledgling's that season.

 

[KY wild]

Great Pic

 

[makinprairie]

Great Pic

Thank you!

I thought this blue bird picture was fun for me. The female bringing in nesting material and the chickadee photo bombing the picture! :)

 

[fishin coyote]

Do you have a number of bluebird nest boxes scattered around your area - just to provide nesting sites for them? If so - great job!!! They eat a lot of insects ........ good to have them around, beside their looks and songs.

I started my habit journey on a double lot in town. At the time I couldn’t live in the country so I brought the country to town through small ponds, pollinator gardens along with bird bat boxes. When we moved to our current home in the woods I just carpet bombed my yard with boxes and as I expanded the open areas I just kept adding boxes.
In the winter I’d build boxes from scrap wood, it doesn’t take long to have way more boxes than space so I started hanging them along the road on the way to work or at friends property where they have space.
I call them bluebird boxes and build to their specs. but don’t care what uses them be it swallows, wrens, or the occasional flying squirrel.

 

[H20fwler]

Few years ago I would have tree swallows follow me around while clipping clover eating the insects I kicked up. So I did some research and built some boxes for the tree swallows and now I enjoy them as much as the blue birds.

Yes!
I have love for the tree swallows too..they seem more friendly than the bluebirds or less skittish and let us get pretty close. I would say at our places it's about 50/50 mix - bluebird/swallow in the boxes.
I put the boxes up in the pasture around fifty yards apart facing east. Here we only have them in spring and summer then they leave.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Yes!
I have love for the tree swallows too..they seem more friendly than the bluebirds or less skittish and let us get pretty close. I would say at our places it's about 50/50 mix - bluebird/swallow in the boxes.
I put the boxes up in the pasture around fifty yards apart facing east. Here we only have them in spring and summer then they leave.

Not to hijack ,but.......

8 wood duck boxes cleaned and refilled with wood shavings 3 weeks ago

bill

 

[bigboreblr]

With the later evening light I have been working utside getting tree plantings ready. Been seeing woodcocks zooming around. Usually towards mid march.